--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was trying to make something really…" description: "\"I was trying to make something really hard, but then I thought I should make something really soft instead, that could be molded into different shapes...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/leo-baekeland-48028_different_i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-ha_933644.jpg" --- # I was trying to make something really hard, but then I… ![“I was trying to make something really hard, but then I thought I should make something really soft instead, that could be molded into different shapes. That was how I came up with the first plastic. I called it Bakelite.” quote by Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/leo-baekeland-48028_different_i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-ha_933644.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/leo-baekeland-48028_different_i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-ha_933644.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/leo-baekeland-48028_different_i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-ha_933644.jpg) > “I was trying to make something really hard, but then I thought I should make something really soft instead, that could be molded into different shapes. That was how I came up with the first plastic. I called it Bakelite.” [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A hard, moldable material was created by shifting focus from difficulty to softness, leading to the first plastic. **In simple terms:** Switching to softness created a new material. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility to innovate. Themes innovation material science creativity adaptability Mood inspirational practical Type scientific historical When to use this quote - product development - manufacturing - design thinking Key Concepts chemistry industrial design Questions to Reflect On - What problems can flexible thinking solve? - How does material choice affect sustainability? A Different Perspective New materials may have unforeseen environmental impacts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Molded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/molded/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [How few people will realize how much detail had to be gone into before Bakelite was a commercial success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/how-few-people-will-realize-how-much-detail-had-to-be-gone-into/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) > [Then I was president of the Bakelite Corporation from 1910 to 1930](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/then-i-was-president-of-the-bakelite-corporation-from-1910-to-1930/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) > [People cannot be molded like clay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/people-cannot-be-molded-like-clay/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [The conditioning and the lifestyle changes you have to make to remain a healthy athlete are what molded me into what I am today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/the-conditioning-and-the-lifestyle-changes-you-have-to-make-to-remain/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [Who I am and the things I've been through, the good and the bad, have all molded me into someone UNIQUE! Being unique is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/who-i-am-and-the-things-i-ve-been-through-the-good-and-the-bad-have/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The way glass can be molded or blown or cut into any kind of shape made me think about how we as people -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/the-way-glass-can-be-molded-or-blown-or-cut-into-any-kind-of-shape/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [I don't think I've ever been molded but I think I am always learning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delta-goodrem/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-been-molded-but-i-think-i-am-always-learning/) [Delta Goodrem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delta-goodrem/) > [In retrospect, I should not have let myself be molded as much as I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/in-retrospect-i-should-not-have-let-myself-be-molded-as-much-as-i-did/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [I think what I came from and what I saw molded me into a certain person. Nothing was ever wrapped or a silver spoon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-think-what-i-came-from-and-what-i-saw-molded-me-into-a-certain/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [We are, all of us, molded and remolded by those who have loved us, and though that love may pass, we remain none the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/we-are-all-of-us-molded-and-remolded-by-those-who-have-loved-us-and/) [Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/) > [You're molded by the period you were brought up in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-mancini/you-re-molded-by-the-period-you-were-brought-up-in/) [Henry Mancini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-mancini/) > [“We are, all of us, molded and re-molded by those who have loved us, and though that love may pass, we remain nonetheless their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/we-are-all-of-us-molded-and-re-molded-by-those-who-have-loved-us-and/) [François Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/) > [There is no aspect of our experience not molded in some way by metaphor's almost imperceptible touch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-geary/there-is-no-aspect-of-our-experience-not-molded-in-some-way-by/) [James Geary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-geary/) > [The interesting thing about Cleopatra is that she is such a shape-shifter. I mean through history we've all molded her to our times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/the-interesting-thing-about-cleopatra-is-that-she-is-such-a-shape/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Our bodies are molded rivers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/novalis/our-bodies-are-molded-rivers/) [Novalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/novalis/) ## More by Leo Baekeland > [If I had my life to live over again I would not devote it to develop new industrial processes: I would try to add…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/if-i-had-my-life-to-live-over-again-i-would-not-devote-it-to-develop/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) > [Well, it was kind of an accident, because plastic is not what I meant to invent. I had just sold photograph paper to Eastman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/well-it-was-kind-of-an-accident-because-plastic-is-not-what-i-meant/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) > [I also served on many government committees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/i-also-served-on-many-government-committees/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) > [Then I was president of the Bakelite Corporation from 1910 to 1930](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/then-i-was-president-of-the-bakelite-corporation-from-1910-to-1930/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) > [How few people will realize how much detail had to be gone into before Bakelite was a commercial success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/how-few-people-will-realize-how-much-detail-had-to-be-gone-into/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) > [Knowledge is like a knife. In the hands of a well-balanced adult it is an instrument for good of inestimable value; but in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/knowledge-is-like-a-knife-in-the-hands-of-a-well-balanced-adult-it-is/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) > [In 1893 I founded a chemical company which I ran until 1899.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/in-1893-i-founded-a-chemical-company-which-i-ran-until-1899/) [Leo Baekeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) [Explore all 8 Leo Baekeland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/) ## More Different quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/) [Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/) [Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/) > [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) Browse all 28,697 Different quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was trying to make something really hard, but then I thought I should make something really soft instead, that could be molded into different shapes. That was how I came up with the first plastic. I called it Bakelite.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Baekeland" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-hard-but-then-i-thought-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Different" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-hard-but-then-i-thought-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/leo-baekeland-48028_different_i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-ha_933644.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/leo-baekeland-48028_different_i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-ha_933644.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/918/leo-baekeland-48028_different_i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-ha_933644.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was trying to make something really hard, but then I thought I should make something really soft instead…” — Leo Baekeland", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leo Baekeland", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baekeland/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was trying to make something...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-hard-but-then-i-thought-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baekeland/i-was-trying-to-make-something-really-hard-but-then-i-thought-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```