--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The mind becomes withered, stagnant…" description: "\"The mind becomes withered, stagnant, narrow and closed unless it searches for new ideas.\" — Napoleon Hill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/napoleon-hill-201_ideas_the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narro_1445620.jpg" --- # The mind becomes withered, stagnant, narrow and closed… ![“The mind becomes withered, stagnant, narrow and closed unless it searches for new ideas.” quote by Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/napoleon-hill-201_ideas_the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narro_1445620.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/napoleon-hill-201_ideas_the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narro_1445620.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/napoleon-hill-201_ideas_the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narro_1445620.jpg) > “The mind becomes withered, stagnant, narrow and closed unless it searches for new ideas.” [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The mind dries up when it stops seeking fresh ideas, becoming limited and rigid. **In simple terms:** A mind stops growing without new ideas. Key Takeaway Keep exploring new ideas. Themes growth creativity mindset Mood curious inspired Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - brainstorming sessions - research projects - creative workshops - continuous education Key Concepts psychology innovation learning Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay open to new perspectives? - What habits help you seek fresh ideas? A Different Perspective New ideas can be overwhelming and may cause analysis paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Withered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-withered-5184742/) [New ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Stagnant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stagnant/) [Stagnant Narrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stagnant-narrow-5184743/) [Unless Searches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unless-searches-5184744/) [Withered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/withered/) [Withered Stagnant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/withered-stagnant-5184741/) ## Related quotes > [Every person should make it his business to gather new ideas from sources other than the environment in which he daily lives and works.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/every-person-should-make-it-his-business-to-gather-new-ideas-from/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Take the word Liberty from human speech and all the other words become poor, withered, meaningless sounds - but with that word realized -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/take-the-word-liberty-from-human-speech-and-all-the-other-words/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The most affluent may be stripped of all, and find his worldly comforts, like so many withered leaves, dropping from him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-most-affluent-may-be-stripped-of-all-and-find-his-worldly/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [A good character is the best tombstone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/a-good-character-is-the-best-tombstone/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [On me, on me Time and change can heap no more! The painful past with blighting grief Hath left my heart a withered leaf.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-henry-horne/on-me-on-me-time-and-change-can-heap-no-more-the-painful-past-with/) [Richard Henry Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-henry-horne/) > [Like the withered roses of a once gay garland, the feelings of youth command in age a melancholy interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/like-the-withered-roses-of-a-once-gay-garland-the-feelings-of-youth/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [When he is forsaken, Withered and shaken, What can an old man do but die?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hood/when-he-is-forsaken-withered-and-shaken-what-can-an-old-man-do-but-die/) [Thomas Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hood/) > [“I saw that the bride within the bridal dress has withered like the dress, and like the flowers, and had no brightness left but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-saw-that-the-bride-within-the-bridal-dress-has-withered-like-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The sad rhyme of the men who proudly clung To their first fault, and withered in their pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/the-sad-rhyme-of-the-men-who-proudly-clung-to-their-first-fault-and/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [Does a dragon still sing from within a withered tree?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/does-a-dragon-still-sing-from-within-a-withered-tree/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [You never make fun of anybody with a club foot or a withered arm, but it's open season on anybody who stutters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/you-never-make-fun-of-anybody-with-a-club-foot-or-a-withered-arm-but/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [Vain are the thousand creeds That move men's hearts, unutterably vain; Worthless as withered weeds, Or idlest froth amid the boundless main.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/vain-are-the-thousand-creeds-that-move-men-s-hearts-unutterably-vain/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [May all your expectations be frustrated, may all your plans be thwarted, may all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/may-all-your-expectations-be-frustrated-may-all-your-plans-be/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [Oh, would that my mind could let fall its dead ideas, as the tree does its withered leaves!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/oh-would-that-my-mind-could-let-fall-its-dead-ideas-as-the-tree-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [“This explains so much," she said, clucking her tongue in mother-hen fashion. "You're compensating for this withered appendage." Withered appendage? What the devil was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/this-explains-so-much-she-said-clucking-her-tongue-in-mother-hen/) [Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) ## More by Napoleon Hill > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The mind requires regular use to remain strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-requires-regular-use-to-remain-strong/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/to-all-these-i-wish-to-convey-the-thought-that-all-achievement-no/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it.” This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/tell-the-world-what-you-intend-to-do-but-first-show-it-this/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You become what you think about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-become-what-you-think-about/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Every man's own character is written so all who will may read it, in the expression of his eyes, the tone of his voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/every-man-s-own-character-is-written-so-all-who-will-may-read-it-in/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Life is a mirror of your consistent thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/life-is-a-mirror-of-your-consistent-thoughts/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Success requires no explanations. Failure permits no alibis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/success-requires-no-explanations-failure-permits-no-alibis/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“There are no limitations to the mind except those that we acknowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/there-are-no-limitations-to-the-mind-except-those-that-we-acknowledge/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) [Explore all 928 Napoleon Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More Ideas quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 24,908 Ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The mind becomes withered, stagnant, narrow and closed unless it searches for new ideas.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narrow-and-closed-unless-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ideas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narrow-and-closed-unless-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/napoleon-hill-201_ideas_the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narro_1445620.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/napoleon-hill-201_ideas_the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narro_1445620.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d98/napoleon-hill-201_ideas_the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narro_1445620.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The mind becomes withered, stagnant, narrow and closed unless it searches for new ideas.” — Napoleon Hill", "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": "Napoleon Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The mind becomes withered, stagnant, narrow...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narrow-and-closed-unless-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-becomes-withered-stagnant-narrow-and-closed-unless-it/#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 } } ] } ```