--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first complete sentence out of my…" description: "\"The first complete sentence out of my mouth was probably that line about consistency being the hobgoblin of small minds.\" — Philip Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/philip-johnson-10392_consistency_the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mo_1215216.png" --- # The first complete sentence out of my mouth was probably… ![“The first complete sentence out of my mouth was probably that line about consistency being the hobgoblin of small minds.” quote by Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/philip-johnson-10392_consistency_the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mo_1215216.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/philip-johnson-10392_consistency_the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mo_1215216.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/philip-johnson-10392_consistency_the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mo_1215216.png) > “The first complete sentence out of my mouth was probably that line about consistency being the hobgoblin of small minds.” [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Consistency limits creative thinking and reduces depth of insight. **In simple terms:** Consistency hinders imagination. Key Takeaway Embrace flexibility and curiosity. Themes creativity mindset innovation Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - design brainstorming - problem solving - creative writing Key Concepts cognitive bias intellectual humility Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance consistency with innovation? - When does consistency become a constraint? A Different Perspective Consistency can be useful for reliability, but may stifle novelty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consistency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistency/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [The need for a rational consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-need-for-a-rational-consistency-is-the-hobgoblin-of-small-minds/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/consistency-is-the-hobgoblin-of-small-minds/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Thank God for my hobgoblin, small-minded consistency...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-christensen/thank-god-for-my-hobgoblin-small-minded-consistency/) [Kate Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-christensen/) > [“Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-cialdini/consistency-is-the-hobgoblin-of-little-minds/) [Robert B. Cialdini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-cialdini/) > [“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of feeble minds”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-foolish-consistency-is-the-hobgoblin-of-feeble-minds/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Because when I read, I don't really read; I pop a beautiful sentence into my mouth and suck it like a fruit drop, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bohumil-hrabal/because-when-i-read-i-don-t-really-read-i-pop-a-beautiful-sentence/) [Bohumil Hrabal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bohumil-hrabal/) > [I pop a beautiful sentence into my mouth and suck it like a fruit drop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bohumil-hrabal/i-pop-a-beautiful-sentence-into-my-mouth-and-suck-it-like-a-fruit-drop/) [Bohumil Hrabal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bohumil-hrabal/) > [“Consistency is the virtue of small minds, and Spinoza had a great mind—he was inconsistent all over the place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-holt/consistency-is-the-virtue-of-small-minds-and-spinoza-had-a-great-mind/) [Jim Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-holt/) > [His was not a small mind bothered by logic and consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/his-was-not-a-small-mind-bothered-by-logic-and-consistency/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-foolish-consistency-is-the-hobgoblin-of-little-minds-adored-by/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-foolish-consistency-is-the-hobgoblin-of-little-minds-adored-by-2/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-foolish-consistency-is-the-hobgoblin-of-little-minds-adored-by-3/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consistency may be the hobgoblin of little minds, but law, morality and leadership demand it. Without consistency, there is privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/consistency-may-be-the-hobgoblin-of-little-minds-but-law-morality-and/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [No" is a complete sentence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-is-a-complete-sentence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I encourage people to remember that "no" is a complete sentence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-de-becker/i-encourage-people-to-remember-that-no-is-a-complete-sentence/) [Gavin de Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-de-becker/) ## More by Philip Johnson > [Architecture is the art of how to waste space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/architecture-is-the-art-of-how-to-waste-space/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [I'm a chameleon, so changeable. I see myself as a gadfly and a questioner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/i-m-a-chameleon-so-changeable-i-see-myself-as-a-gadfly-and-a/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [ Scientific naturalism is a story that reduces reality to physical particles and impersonal laws, \[and\] portrays life as a meaningless competition among organisms that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/scientific-naturalism-is-a-story-that-reduces-reality-to-physical/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [I hate vacations. If you can build buildings, why sit on the beach?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/i-hate-vacations-if-you-can-build-buildings-why-sit-on-the-beach/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [I like to be buttoned onto tradition. The thing is to improve it, twist it and mold it; to make something new of it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/i-like-to-be-buttoned-onto-tradition-the-thing-is-to-improve-it-twist/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [So now the floodgates are open to the delight of pure form, whatever its origin. Anything goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/so-now-the-floodgates-are-open-to-the-delight-of-pure-form-whatever/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [You cannot not know history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/you-cannot-not-know-history/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [Purpose is not necessary to make a building beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/purpose-is-not-necessary-to-make-a-building-beautiful/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [I haven't any wisdom - just a child like everybody else. I'm not as great as Frank Lloyd Wright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/i-haven-t-any-wisdom-just-a-child-like-everybody-else-i-m-not-as/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [Don't build a glass house if you're worried about saving money on heating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/don-t-build-a-glass-house-if-you-re-worried-about-saving-money-on/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [In our greatest universities, naturalism - the doctrine that nature is all there is - is the virtually unquestioned assumption that underlies not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/in-our-greatest-universities-naturalism-the-doctrine-that-nature-is/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [The automobile is the greatest catastrophe in the entire history of City architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/the-automobile-is-the-greatest-catastrophe-in-the-entire-history-of/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [I wish someone would ask me to design a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/i-wish-someone-would-ask-me-to-design-a-cathedral/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [We do pretty much whatever we want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/we-do-pretty-much-whatever-we-want-to/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) > [Some of the opera houses in Italy had to be burnt down because people could neither see nor hear. They gave up seeing years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/some-of-the-opera-houses-in-italy-had-to-be-burnt-down-because-people/) [Philip Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) [Explore all 66 Philip Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/) ## More Consistency quotes > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [One things guys have to remember is consistency... You can't make up for three years of eating poorly in just one workout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/one-things-guys-have-to-remember-is-consistency-you-can-t-make-up-for/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [I give you everything you want as an artist, for so long. Consistency. Wordplay. Wittiness. You can check the checklist. Only thing I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/i-give-you-everything-you-want-as-an-artist-for-so-long-consistency/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [I have always wanted to learn the piano, but because I travel so much, I can never get any consistency of lessons. So everywhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/i-have-always-wanted-to-learn-the-piano-but-because-i-travel-so-much/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [There's always, I guess, a philosophy that if you come in, you want to change all the parts, you want to change everything over.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/there-s-always-i-guess-a-philosophy-that-if-you-come-in-you-want-to/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [But change must always be balanced with some degree of consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-d-burton/but-change-must-always-be-balanced-with-some-degree-of-consistency/) [Ron D. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-d-burton/) > [“Strong trust is built brick by brick, through honesty, consistency, and showing up even when it’s hard to keep the promise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayoub-imilouane/strong-trust-is-built-brick-by-brick-through-honesty-consistency-and/) [Ayoub Imilouane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayoub-imilouane/) > [I like the consistency of a TV show, but I like it for three months out of my year, not nine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-mack/i-like-the-consistency-of-a-tv-show-but-i-like-it-for-three-months/) [Allison Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-mack/) > [The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-superpowers-often-behave-like-two-heavily-armed-blind-men-feeling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So, whenever you find yourself putting forth great effort without success, you're trying to force something that won't fit under the circumstances. That's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-vigorito/so-whenever-you-find-yourself-putting-forth-great-effort-without/) [Tony Vigorito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-vigorito/) > [To me, style is consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/to-me-style-is-consistency/) Adam Ant > [About 120 million of us place the big bang 2,500 years after the Babylonians and Sumerians learned to brew beer. If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [I've learned over the years that when it comes to success, consistency is key. Consistent hard work that we may not like doing today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-ve-learned-over-the-years-that-when-it-comes-to-success-consistency/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Consistency of performance is essential. You don't have to be exceptional every week but as a minimum you need to be at a level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/consistency-of-performance-is-essential-you-don-t-have-to-be/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) [Browse all 866 Consistency quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistency/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first complete sentence out of my mouth was probably that line about consistency being the hobgoblin of small minds.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mouth-was-probably-that-line/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consistency" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mouth-was-probably-that-line/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/philip-johnson-10392_consistency_the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mo_1215216.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/philip-johnson-10392_consistency_the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mo_1215216.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/873/philip-johnson-10392_consistency_the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mo_1215216.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first complete sentence out of my mouth was probably that line about consistency being the hobgoblin of…” — Philip Johnson", "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": "Philip Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first complete sentence out of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mouth-was-probably-that-line/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-johnson/the-first-complete-sentence-out-of-my-mouth-was-probably-that-line/#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 } } ] } ```