--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never invest in any idea you can't…" description: "\"Never invest in any idea you can't illustrate with a crayon\" — Peter Lynch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/peter-lynch-2902_best-investment_never-invest-in-any-idea-you-can-t-illus_2935273.png" --- # Never invest in any idea you can't illustrate with a crayon ![“Never invest in any idea you can't illustrate with a crayon” quote by Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/peter-lynch-2902_best-investment_never-invest-in-any-idea-you-can-t-illus_2935273.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/peter-lynch-2902_best-investment_never-invest-in-any-idea-you-can-t-illus_2935273.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b00/peter-lynch-2902_best-investment_never-invest-in-any-idea-you-can-t-illus_2935273.png) > “Never invest in any idea you can't illustrate with a crayon” [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Invest only in ideas you can clearly visualize and explain simply. **In simple terms:** Invest in ideas you can draw. Key Takeaway Visualize before committing. Themes investment clarity risk management Mood analytical pragmatic Type advice financial When to use this quote - pitch meetings - product design - startup fundraising - portfolio review Key Concepts visual thinking simplicity due diligence Questions to Reflect On - Can you sketch your investment thesis? - How does visual clarity affect confidence? A Different Perspective Complex ideas may be oversimplified, missing nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-investment/) [Crayon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crayon/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Idea Illustrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-illustrate-4348161/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Illustrate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustrate/) [Illustrate Crayon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustrate-crayon-4348160/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Investment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investment/) [Saving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving/) [Savings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savings/) ## Related quotes > [Real estate is the best investment for small savings. More money is made from the rise in real estate values than from all other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/real-estate-is-the-best-investment-for-small-savings-more-money-is/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [It's not whether you're right or wrong that's important, but how much money you make when you're right and how much you lose when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/it-s-not-whether-you-re-right-or-wrong-that-s-important-but-how-much/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Never buy anything that you can't illustrate on the back of a napkin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/never-buy-anything-that-you-can-t-illustrate-on-the-back-of-a-napkin/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [Know what you own, and know why you own it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/know-what-you-own-and-know-why-you-own-it/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [In the long run, it's not just how much money you make that will determine your future prosperity. It's how much of that money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/in-the-long-run-it-s-not-just-how-much-money-you-make-that-will/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [Never invest in anything that cannot be illustrated with a crayon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/never-invest-in-anything-that-cannot-be-illustrated-with-a-crayon/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [There seems to be an unwritten rule on Wall Street: If you don't understand it, then put your life savings into it. Shun the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/there-seems-to-be-an-unwritten-rule-on-wall-street-if-you-don-t/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [I want to express my feelings rather than illustrate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-want-to-express-my-feelings-rather-than-illustrate-them/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [I have been doodling since childhood. I have a passion for illustrating but cannot paint or colour for that matter. I illustrate what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devdutt-pattanaik/i-have-been-doodling-since-childhood-i-have-a-passion-for/) [Devdutt Pattanaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devdutt-pattanaik/) > [I want to express my feelings, not illustrate them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/i-want-to-express-my-feelings-not-illustrate-them/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [I used my pants to illustrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-singletary/i-used-my-pants-to-illustrate/) [Mike Singletary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-singletary/) > [Occasionally projects just take off unexpectedly, sometimes you can work away at sketches and ideas for years before they are published. There are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howe/occasionally-projects-just-take-off-unexpectedly-sometimes-you-can/) [John Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howe/) > [“analogy to illustrate this phenomenon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/analogy-to-illustrate-this-phenomenon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [French and German illustrate the misleading character of apparent grammatical simplicity just as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sapir/french-and-german-illustrate-the-misleading-character-of-apparent/) [Edward Sapir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sapir/) > [We don't need to illustrate music; music illustrates itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/we-don-t-need-to-illustrate-music-music-illustrates-itself/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) ## More by Peter Lynch > [If a picture is worth a thousand words, in business, so is a number.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/if-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-in-business-so-is-a-number/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [“The old Wall Street adage "never invest in anything that eats or needs repairs" may apply to racehorses, but it's malarkey when it comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/the-old-wall-street-adage-never-invest-in-anything-that-eats-or-needs/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [You just don't know when you can find the bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/you-just-don-t-know-when-you-can-find-the-bottom/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [I think you have to learn that there's a company behind every stock, and that there's only one real reason why stocks go up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/i-think-you-have-to-learn-that-there-s-a-company-behind-every-stock/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [If you're prepared to invest in a company, then you ought to be able to explain why in simple language that a fifth grader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/if-you-re-prepared-to-invest-in-a-company-then-you-ought-to-be-able/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [“In other words, I continue to think like an amateur as frequently as possible. GOING IT ALONE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/in-other-words-i-continue-to-think-like-an-amateur-as-frequently-as/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [Absent a lot of surprises, stocks are relatively predictable over twenty years. As to whether they're going to be higher or lower in two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/absent-a-lot-of-surprises-stocks-are-relatively-predictable-over/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [A lot of people got in at the wrong time. A lot of people did very well and some people said, "This is it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/a-lot-of-people-got-in-at-the-wrong-time-a-lot-of-people-did-very/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [All you need for a lifetime of successful investing is a few big winners, and the pluses from those will overwhelm the minuses from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/all-you-need-for-a-lifetime-of-successful-investing-is-a-few-big/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [Owning stocks is like having children - don't get involved with more than you can handle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/owning-stocks-is-like-having-children-don-t-get-involved-with-more/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [When you sell in desperation, you always sell cheap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/when-you-sell-in-desperation-you-always-sell-cheap/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [“Remember, things are never clear until it’s too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/remember-things-are-never-clear-until-it-s-too-late/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [Long-term investing has gotten so popular, it's easier to admit you're a crack addict than to admit you're a short-term investor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/long-term-investing-has-gotten-so-popular-it-s-easier-to-admit-you-re/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [Don't bottom fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/don-t-bottom-fish/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [It would be wonderful if we could avoid the setbacks with timely exits, but nobody has figured out how to predict them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/it-would-be-wonderful-if-we-could-avoid-the-setbacks-with-timely/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) [Explore all 146 Peter Lynch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) ## More Best investment quotes > [I think buying a home is the best investment that any individual can make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paulson/i-think-buying-a-home-is-the-best-investment-that-any-individual-can/) [John Paulson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paulson/) > [Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life, it will improve the lives of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/investing-in-yourself-is-the-best-investment-you-will-ever-make-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“best investment you can make is in yourself. Continue to educate yourself and seek out wisdom, adding new skills and experiences that will make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-conrad/best-investment-you-can-make-is-in-yourself-continue-to-educate/) [Charles Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-conrad/) > [Work hard. Hard work is the best investment a man can make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-m-schwab/work-hard-hard-work-is-the-best-investment-a-man-can-make/) [Charles M. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-m-schwab/) > [As we faithfully pay our tithes, the Lord will indeed open the windows of heaven and pour us out a blessing, that there shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-f-child/as-we-faithfully-pay-our-tithes-the-lord-will-indeed-open-the-windows/) [Sheldon F. Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-f-child/) > [“Your best investment is yourself. There is nothing that compares to it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-andrews/your-best-investment-is-yourself-there-is-nothing-that-compares-to-it/) [David Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-andrews/) > [In the long run, it's not just how much money you make that will determine your future prosperity. It's how much of that money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-lynch/in-the-long-run-it-s-not-just-how-much-money-you-make-that-will/) [Peter Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-lynch/) > [Our students are the best investment we can make for our country and our future economic prosperity. It's in our best interest to ensure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/our-students-are-the-best-investment-we-can-make-for-our-country-and/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [“The best investment you will ever make is in yourself. Never stop exploring, learning, experiencing, and becoming a better person each day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-seetubtim/the-best-investment-you-will-ever-make-is-in-yourself-never-stop/) [Mo Seetubtim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-seetubtim/) > [The best investment with the least risk and the greatest dividend is giving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-templeton/the-best-investment-with-the-least-risk-and-the-greatest-dividend-is/) [John Templeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-templeton/) > [You're generally better off sticking with what you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-re-generally-better-off-sticking-with-what-you-know/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [My best investment is my imagination, because it has never failed to bring me my greatest returns!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-castillo/my-best-investment-is-my-imagination-because-it-has-never-failed-to/) [Randy Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-castillo/) > [I think in the long run the money that s been put into the space program is one of the best investments this country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-think-in-the-long-run-the-money-that-s-been-put-into-the-space/) [Arthur C. 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