---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's amazing how flexible the human mind…"
description: "\"It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of jumping into a backstory or an aside. Vonnegut is a great example - it's not a linear story by ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/noah-hawley-3673_brain_it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind_280326.jpg"
---

#  It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of…

![“It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of jumping into a backstory or an aside. Vonnegut is a great example - it's not a linear story by any means, but somehow your brain is keeping it moving in one direction even though the story is taking you in all these different directions.” quote by Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/noah-hawley-3673_brain_it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind_280326.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/noah-hawley-3673_brain_it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind_280326.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/noah-hawley-3673_brain_it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind_280326.jpg)

> “It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of jumping into a backstory or an aside. Vonnegut is a great example - it's not a linear story by any means, but somehow your brain is keeping it moving in one direction even though the story is taking you in all these different directions.”

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human minds can follow complex, non‑linear narratives while staying oriented toward a single direction.

**In simple terms:** Our brains handle tangled stories but stay focused.

Key Takeaway

Embrace narrative complexity.

Themes

creativity storytelling psychology

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- writing
- film
- education
- personal growth

Key Concepts

cognitive flexibility narrative structure

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you keep focus amid chaos?
- What techniques aid narrative clarity?

A Different Perspective

Complexity can confuse audiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Different directions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-directions/) [Human mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-mind/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/)

## Related quotes

> [“I quote Frank O’Connor to my students: that when you are writing a story, at some point the story must take over. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-taylor/i-quote-frank-o-connor-to-my-students-that-when-you-are-writing-a/)

[Peter Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-taylor/)

> [“Only a woman could make so much out of so little. Give them a single fact and they'd fashion it into a story before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/only-a-woman-could-make-so-much-out-of-so-little-give-them-a-single/)

[Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/)

> [I played soccer in the Alps when I was a kid. There was a blizzard that happened. And little local German kids were out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mcafee/i-played-soccer-in-the-alps-when-i-was-a-kid-there-was-a-blizzard/)

[Pat McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-mcafee/)

> [I hate when I'm compared to another person. If you cant accept me for who I am then you need to keeping it moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-when-i-m-compared-to-another-person-if-you-cant-accept-me-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [That's all that life is really about - setting up the party, talking to people who are like-minded, making something happen and keeping it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skepta/that-s-all-that-life-is-really-about-setting-up-the-party-talking-to/)

[Skepta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skepta/)

> [I'd love to take a stab at writing videogames. There are a lot of storytelling opportunities that really aren't being taken advantage of in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/i-d-love-to-take-a-stab-at-writing-videogames-there-are-a-lot-of/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [I had a very linear story line for this particular play, and I wanted to open the piece up a bit, so I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kan-gotanda/i-had-a-very-linear-story-line-for-this-particular-play-and-i-wanted/)

Philip Kan Gotanda

> [I have not chosen to create a linear story, but a series of different narratives: in the end there are five plays that almost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ravenhill/i-have-not-chosen-to-create-a-linear-story-but-a-series-of-different/)

[Mark Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ravenhill/)

> ['The Hobbit' didn't include female characters at all and was a very linear story, a book for children, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/the-hobbit-didn-t-include-female-characters-at-all-and-was-a-very/)

[Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/)

> [Anytime I've ever been involved in a non-linear story, you see it in a linear manner first, just to make sure it makes sense,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zack-snyder/anytime-i-ve-ever-been-involved-in-a-non-linear-story-you-see-it-in-a/)

[Zack Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zack-snyder/)

> [One of the main reasons I wanted to work on 'World War Z' was because I'm a huge fan of the book, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-forster/one-of-the-main-reasons-i-wanted-to-work-on-world-war-z-was-because-i/)

[Marc Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-forster/)

> [There were probably about five games in my career where everything was moving in slow motion and you could be out there all day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-taylor/there-were-probably-about-five-games-in-my-career-where-everything/)

[Lawrence Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-taylor/)

> [Europeans should pay more attention. Iran has called for dialogue and is moving in the direction of reaching an agreement through peaceful means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-larijani/europeans-should-pay-more-attention-iran-has-called-for-dialogue-and/)

[Ali Larijani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-larijani/)

> [It's not enough simply to record the way people actually talk. The dialogue must be concentrated, shaped, dramatically moving, in a way that real-life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-gerard/it-s-not-enough-simply-to-record-the-way-people-actually-talk-the/)

[Philip Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-gerard/)

> [What we should have done is kept the same team that played in the '95 World Series. Those trades (Eddie Murray & Carlos Baerga)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-belle/what-we-should-have-done-is-kept-the-same-team-that-played-in-the-95/)

[Albert Belle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-belle/)

## More by Noah Hawley

> [It's always very important to me to try to create a story that feels unpredictable. You can't jump ahead and see what's coming, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-always-very-important-to-me-to-try-to-create-a-story-that-feels/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [A two-hour movie tends to be a plot-delivery device; you tend to have to introduce all the characters, say what the goal is, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/a-two-hour-movie-tends-to-be-a-plot-delivery-device-you-tend-to-have/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [For some reason, I tend to take on the stuff that people are really passionate about. If you make a list of people you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/for-some-reason-i-tend-to-take-on-the-stuff-that-people-are-really/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [One of the things that I've always appreciated about the 'X-Men' style of storytelling versus other Marvel stories is how fluid the line between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/one-of-the-things-that-i-ve-always-appreciated-about-the-x-men-style/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [One of the things I've always loved about genre, comic books, science fiction and fantasy is that there's a certain level of playfulness to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/one-of-the-things-i-ve-always-loved-about-genre-comic-books-science/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [What's great is that each medium has a unique set of things that it does and does well. Film is a visual medium, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/what-s-great-is-that-each-medium-has-a-unique-set-of-things-that-it/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [I think that we're pattern-seeking animals, and what we like best is a story where everything fits together, where there's no puzzle pieces left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-that-we-re-pattern-seeking-animals-and-what-we-like-best-is-a/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [Obviously, when you do something with drama and comedy in it - and by that, I mean a scene that has drama and comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/obviously-when-you-do-something-with-drama-and-comedy-in-it-and-by/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [The last thing you want is to be desperate in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/the-last-thing-you-want-is-to-be-desperate-in-hollywood/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [I'm not that guy who thinks I have all the answers. Writing is a means of communicating, and if enough people say, 'I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-m-not-that-guy-who-thinks-i-have-all-the-answers-writing-is-a-means/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [I think a writer's first job is to entertain, even in novels: to tell a compelling story that pulls the reader along toward an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-a-writer-s-first-job-is-to-entertain-even-in-novels-to-tell-a/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [I think for really good-hearted people, that idea of putting yourself in the shoes of a monster to figure out why they acted that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-think-for-really-good-hearted-people-that-idea-of-putting-yourself/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> ['Downton Abbey' didn't have the impact it had just because it was a good story about people. It was something about that period and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/downton-abbey-didn-t-have-the-impact-it-had-just-because-it-was-a/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [Making a new season for 'Legion' is not something you just switch into. It's not something you do between dropping the kids off in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/making-a-new-season-for-legion-is-not-something-you-just-switch-into/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

> [I'm a big believer that the structure of stories should reflect the content of the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/i-m-a-big-believer-that-the-structure-of-stories-should-reflect-the/)

[Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

[Explore all 124 Noah Hawley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/)

## More Brain quotes

> [The brain abhors discrepancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/the-brain-abhors-discrepancies/)

[Vilayanur S. Ramachandran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vilayanur-s-ramachandran/)

> [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/)

[Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

> [down with ought with because with every brain that thinks it thinks nor dares to feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/down-with-ought-with-because-with-every-brain-that-thinks-it-thinks/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/)

[Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/)

> [I prefer the word 'musician.' I'm a musician and a composer. I have a problem with the word 'artist.' I don't know if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-prefer-the-word-musician-i-m-a-musician-and-a-composer-i-have-a/)

[Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/)

> [Thinking of sex provides enough mental stimulation to reduce risk of diseases that damage the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thinking-of-sex-provides-enough-mental-stimulation-to-reduce-risk-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [My writing routine is: get son off to school and sit down at 8 A.M. I read what I wrote the day before, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chevalier/my-writing-routine-is-get-son-off-to-school-and-sit-down-at-8-a-m-i/)

[Tracy Chevalier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chevalier/)

> [The reason I'm drawn to it is - both the off road racing and the motorcycles on the track - it takes a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dax-shepard/the-reason-i-m-drawn-to-it-is-both-the-off-road-racing-and-the/)

[Dax Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dax-shepard/)

> [Without illusions. I love you because you are fallible and because your poor misguided testosterone-corrupted brain has you doing cartwheels trying not to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-gerard/without-illusions-i-love-you-because-you-are-fallible-and-because/)

[Cindy Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-gerard/)

> [being asked to decide between your passion for work and your passion for children was like being asked by your doctor whether you preferred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-bevington/being-asked-to-decide-between-your-passion-for-work-and-your-passion/)

[Helen Bevington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-bevington/)

> [I was told I had brain damage. I always knew it was an unfair label. Now I have a clearer understanding of what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-boyle/i-was-told-i-had-brain-damage-i-always-knew-it-was-an-unfair-label/)

[Susan Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-boyle/)

> [The act of learning to read added an entirely new circuit to our hominid brain's repertoire. The long developmental process of learning to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/the-act-of-learning-to-read-added-an-entirely-new-circuit-to-our/)

[Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/)

> [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/)

[Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/)

> [I am the way I am. If you like me because I'm glamorous, so be it. If you like me, because I speak well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malaika-arora-khan/i-am-the-way-i-am-if-you-like-me-because-i-m-glamorous-so-be-it-if/)

[Malaika Arora Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malaika-arora-khan/)

[Browse all 8,465 Brain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of jumping into a backstory or an aside. Vonnegut is a great example - it's not a linear story by any means, but somehow your brain is keeping it moving in one direction even though the story is taking you in all these different directions.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Noah Hawley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind-is-in-terms-of-jumping-into/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Brain"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind-is-in-terms-of-jumping-into/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/noah-hawley-3673_brain_it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind_280326.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/noah-hawley-3673_brain_it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind_280326.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/noah-hawley-3673_brain_it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind_280326.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's amazing how flexible the human mind is in terms of jumping into a backstory or an aside. Vonnegut is a…” — Noah Hawley",
                "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": "Noah Hawley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's amazing how flexible the human...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind-is-in-terms-of-jumping-into/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/it-s-amazing-how-flexible-the-human-mind-is-in-terms-of-jumping-into/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```