--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think all great innovations are built…" description: "\"I think all great innovations are built on rejections.\" — Louise Berliawsky Nevelson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/louise-berliawsky-nevelson-110_built_i-think-all-great-innovations-are-built_997608.png" --- # I think all great innovations are built on rejections. ![“I think all great innovations are built on rejections.” quote by Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/louise-berliawsky-nevelson-110_built_i-think-all-great-innovations-are-built_997608.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/louise-berliawsky-nevelson-110_built_i-think-all-great-innovations-are-built_997608.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be6/louise-berliawsky-nevelson-110_built_i-think-all-great-innovations-are-built_997608.png) > “I think all great innovations are built on rejections.” [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation thrives on learning from rejection, turning setbacks into creative fuel. **In simple terms:** Great ideas grow from being turned down. Key Takeaway Embrace rejection as a catalyst for invention. Themes creativity resilience innovation Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - product development - artistic practice Key Concepts design thinking growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe rejection into opportunity? - What support helps you persist after setbacks? A Different Perspective Rejection can also discourage and stall progress if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innovations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovations/) [Rejection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejection/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [All great innovations are built on rejections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/all-great-innovations-are-built-on-rejections/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Creative thinking is the spice of great innovations.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roni-rosenthal/creative-thinking-is-the-spice-of-great-innovations/) Roni Rosenthal > [Great innovations should not be forced on slender majorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/great-innovations-should-not-be-forced-on-slender-majorities/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I'm an investor in a number of biotech companies, partly because of my incredible enthusiasm for the great innovations they will bring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-m-an-investor-in-a-number-of-biotech-companies-partly-because-of-my/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The minute you're offered another option, you're like, "You mean, I can watch this every week, if I want to, or twice this week,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-riley/the-minute-you-re-offered-another-option-you-re-like-you-mean-i-can/) [Tom Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-riley/) > [I got nice rejections explaining that historical fiction was a difficult sell. But I kept trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-diament/i-got-nice-rejections-explaining-that-historical-fiction-was-a/) [Anita Diament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-diament/) > [If I were to try to break into the world of modern dance, after the first few rejections the logical response might be, practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sapolsky/if-i-were-to-try-to-break-into-the-world-of-modern-dance-after-the/) [Robert Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sapolsky/) > [It's not easy. I got lots of rejections when I first started out. If you want to write, you have to believe in yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-not-easy-i-got-lots-of-rejections-when-i-first-started-out-if/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“A balanced inner calmness radiates from a peaceful centre. It neither craves others' approval nor rejects others' presence. It neither pulls towards nor pushes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/a-balanced-inner-calmness-radiates-from-a-peaceful-centre-it-neither/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [Most writers, including myself, had to endure a lot of rejections before finally getting published. You could wallpaper a sizeable bathroom with the rejection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-weeks/most-writers-including-myself-had-to-endure-a-lot-of-rejections/) [Jonathan Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-weeks/) > [I couldn't tell you the ratio, but probably for every job you see me do, there would be 20 rejections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-clarke/i-couldn-t-tell-you-the-ratio-but-probably-for-every-job-you-see-me/) [Noel Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-clarke/) > [Keep reading and writing, learn how to revise, and push through rejections. My second book, Monsoon Summer, was rejected over 20 times and finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitali-perkins/keep-reading-and-writing-learn-how-to-revise-and-push-through/) [Mitali Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitali-perkins/) > [I get rejections from the New Yorker. When I had to give a little talk to the people graduating from the MBA program at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/i-get-rejections-from-the-new-yorker-when-i-had-to-give-a-little-talk/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [“The word 'NO' is the best motivation there is for the storyteller in you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-kuykendall/the-word-no-is-the-best-motivation-there-is-for-the-storyteller-in-you/) [A.K. Kuykendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-kuykendall/) > [The usual way - through a long series of rejections, revising my manuscripts, and kept trying again and again. Finally I was fortunate enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-steel/the-usual-way-through-a-long-series-of-rejections-revising-my/) [Danielle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-steel/) ## More by Louise Berliawsky Nevelson > [I was given the gifts of the artist, and the trouble that goes with them: So I have that blessing, and there was never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-was-given-the-gifts-of-the-artist-and-the-trouble-that-goes-with/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [Character is the architect of the being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/character-is-the-architect-of-the-being/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [I have made my world and it is a much better world than I ever saw outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-have-made-my-world-and-it-is-a-much-better-world-than-i-ever-saw/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [I never for one minute questioned what I had to do. I did not think for one minute that I didn't have what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-never-for-one-minute-questioned-what-i-had-to-do-i-did-not-think/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [It gave me great pleasure to think that I could take wood, make it good, and make people like Rockefeller buy it with paper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/it-gave-me-great-pleasure-to-think-that-i-could-take-wood-make-it/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [I never liked the middle ground-the most boring place in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-never-liked-the-middle-ground-the-most-boring-place-in-the-world/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [In the first grade, I already knew the pattern of my life. I didn't know the living of it, but I knew the line……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/in-the-first-grade-i-already-knew-the-pattern-of-my-life-i-didn-t/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [And I saw darkness for weeks. It never dawned on me that I could come out of it, but you heal. Nature heals you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/and-i-saw-darkness-for-weeks-it-never-dawned-on-me-that-i-could-come/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [The outside wold pressures you into a mold, but if you don't accept that - you gamble with life. Call it gambling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/the-outside-wold-pressures-you-into-a-mold-but-if-you-don-t-accept/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [We must create our own world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/we-must-create-our-own-world/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [I've taught, and the first thing I did when I taught art, was not to teach art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-ve-taught-and-the-first-thing-i-did-when-i-taught-art-was-not-to/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [I feel totally female. I didn't compete with men and I don't want to look like a man! I love being a lady and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-feel-totally-female-i-didn-t-compete-with-men-and-i-don-t-want-to/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [Early in school, they called me 'the artist.' When teachers wanted things painted, they called upon me, they called upon 'the artist.' I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/early-in-school-they-called-me-the-artist-when-teachers-wanted-things/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [My husband's family was terribly refined. 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