---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man's mind stretched to a new idea never…"
description: "\"Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.\" — Oliver Wendell Holmes"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_creativity_man-s-mind-stretched-to-a-new-idea-never_2169565.jpg"
---

#  Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its…

![“Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.” quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_creativity_man-s-mind-stretched-to-a-new-idea-never_2169565.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_creativity_man-s-mind-stretched-to-a-new-idea-never_2169565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/243/oliver-wendell-holmes-12756_creativity_man-s-mind-stretched-to-a-new-idea-never_2169565.jpg)

> “Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions.”

[Oliver Wendell Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes/)

## About This Quote

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

New ideas expand the mind beyond its original limits, preventing a return to old thinking.

**In simple terms:** New ideas broaden thinking.

Key Takeaway

Embrace novel concepts.

Themes

growth mindset innovation

Mood

inquisitive optimistic

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- education
- creative work
- problem solving

Key Concepts

cognitive expansion philosophy of mind

Questions to Reflect On

- What ideas have reshaped your perspective?
- How can you stay open to change?

A Different Perspective

Ideas may be resisted by entrenched habits.

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## Related quotes

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> [Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-now-and-then-a-man-s-mind-is-stretched-by-a-new-idea-or/)

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> [“A man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/a-man-s-mind-is-stretched-by-a-new-idea-or-sensation-and-never/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-sr/)

> [Everyone, left to his own devices, forms an idea about what goes on in language which is very far from the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-de-saussure/everyone-left-to-his-own-devices-forms-an-idea-about-what-goes-on-in/)

[Ferdinand de Saussure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-de-saussure/)

> [I like to be able to work quickly, to capture the spark of an idea before it goes out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-like-to-be-able-to-work-quickly-to-capture-the-spark-of-an-idea/)

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[Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/)

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## More by Oliver Wendell Holmes

> [Even a dog knows the difference between being kicked and being stumbled over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/even-a-dog-knows-the-difference-between-being-kicked-and-being/)

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> [The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/the-great-thing-in-this-world-is-not-so-much-where-you-stand-as-in/)

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> [A man's mind stretched by a new idea can never go back to its original dimensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes/a-man-s-mind-stretched-by-a-new-idea-can-never-go-back-to-its/)

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