--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing that I could get with…" description: "\"The only thing that I could get with chance, and I never was able to use it, was that I would end up with something quite geometric or the spirit that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/robert-rauschenberg-5257_able_the-only-thing-that-i-could-get-with-cha_122992.jpg" --- # The only thing that I could get with chance, and I never… ![“The only thing that I could get with chance, and I never was able to use it, was that I would end up with something quite geometric or the spirit that I was interested in, indulging in, was gone.” quote by Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/robert-rauschenberg-5257_able_the-only-thing-that-i-could-get-with-cha_122992.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/robert-rauschenberg-5257_able_the-only-thing-that-i-could-get-with-cha_122992.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/robert-rauschenberg-5257_able_the-only-thing-that-i-could-get-with-cha_122992.jpg) > “The only thing that I could get with chance, and I never was able to use it, was that I would end up with something quite geometric or the spirit that I was interested in, indulging in, was gone.” [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker laments that chance offered a geometric or spiritual direction, but that inspiration vanished before it could be realized. **In simple terms:** Opportunity slipped away before use. Key Takeaway Lost creative potential. Themes creativity chance spirituality geometry Mood wistancholy contemplative Type artistic introspective When to use this quote - artist facing creative block - scientist missing a breakthrough - writer with a fleeting idea Key Concepts ephemeral inspiration unrealized potential Practical Applications - capture fleeting ideas quickly - develop a habit of immediate sketching Questions to Reflect On - How can one preserve fleeting insights? - What practices prevent creative loss? A Different Perspective Sometimes the absence of a clear direction can foster unexpected, innovative outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Chance Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance-able-1430474/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Geometric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geometric/) [Geometric Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/geometric-spirit-1430472/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Indulging Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indulging-gone-1430473/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Thing Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-chance-877056/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) ## Related quotes > [I was told that there's near on a million to one chance that I would be able to have children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-mccoy/i-was-told-that-there-s-near-on-a-million-to-one-chance-that-i-would/) [Tony McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-mccoy/) > [“There is no such thing as chance. Everything occurs as a result of cause and effect; what you do now will create your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-clare/there-is-no-such-thing-as-chance-everything-occurs-as-a-result-of/) [Sylvia Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-clare/) > [There is no doubt such a thing as chance, but I see no reason why Providence should not make use of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gilmore-simms/there-is-no-doubt-such-a-thing-as-chance-but-i-see-no-reason-why/) [William Gilmore Simms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gilmore-simms/) > [It is one thing to make a choice and it is another thing to never have the chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/it-is-one-thing-to-make-a-choice-and-it-is-another-thing-to-never/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [There is no such thing as no chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/there-is-no-such-thing-as-no-chance/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [The only safe thing is to take a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-safe-thing-is-to-take-a-chance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's no such thing as chance, it's all preordained.Lik e KISMET.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/there-s-no-such-thing-as-chance-it-s-all-preordained-lik-e-kismet/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [The Sad Thing Is I Would Give You Another Chance If You Simply Asked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sad-thing-is-i-would-give-you-another-chance-if-you-simply-asked/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is no such thing as chance in a text. 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Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [To admit that there is any such thing as chance, in the common acceptation of the term, would be to attempt to establish a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/to-admit-that-there-is-any-such-thing-as-chance-in-the-common/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The most important thing you can give someone is a chance...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-important-thing-you-can-give-someone-is-a-chance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The regular division of the plane into congruent figures evoking an association in the observer with a familiar natural object is one of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/the-regular-division-of-the-plane-into-congruent-figures-evoking-an/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [There is a deep connection between Bernoulli's dictum and John Kelly's 1956 publication. It turns out that Kelly's prescription can be restated as this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-poundstone/there-is-a-deep-connection-between-bernoulli-s-dictum-and-john-kelly/) [William Poundstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-poundstone/) ## More by Robert Rauschenberg > [Having to be different is the same trap as having to be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/having-to-be-different-is-the-same-trap-as-having-to-be-the-same/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [There is no reason not to consider the world as one gigantic painting,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/there-is-no-reason-not-to-consider-the-world-as-one-gigantic-painting/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [I'm quite taken aback when I get something that appears to be technically a good photograph, because it's not necessarily my intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-m-quite-taken-aback-when-i-get-something-that-appears-to-be/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [I was much happier when I had less responsibility... when my only responsibility was to my work and to myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-was-much-happier-when-i-had-less-responsibility-when-my-only/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [It is neither Art for Art, nor Art against Art. 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Rather I put my trust in the materials that confront me, because they put me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-don-t-really-trust-ideas-especially-good-ones-rather-i-put-my-trust/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [I refuse to be in this world by myself. I want an open commitment from the rest of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-refuse-to-be-in-this-world-by-myself-i-want-an-open-commitment-from/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [This telegram is a work of art if I say it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/this-telegram-is-a-work-of-art-if-i-say-it-is/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [Understanding is a form of blindness. Good art, I think, can never be understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/understanding-is-a-form-of-blindness-good-art-i-think-can-never-be/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [Sometimes I have taken photographs and just felt so excited that I could barely hold the camera steady, and the photo was boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/sometimes-i-have-taken-photographs-and-just-felt-so-excited-that-i/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [I am sick of talking about What and Why I am doing. I have always believed that the WORK is the word. Action is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/i-am-sick-of-talking-about-what-and-why-i-am-doing-i-have-always/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [And also the new excitement and variety of ways that the abstract expressionists were applying paint. You could put it on as though it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/and-also-the-new-excitement-and-variety-of-ways-that-the-abstract/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) > [Most artists try to break your heart, or they accidentally break their own hearts.But I find the quietness in the ordinary much more satisfying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rauschenberg/most-artists-try-to-break-your-heart-or-they-accidentally-break-their/) [Robert Rauschenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) [Explore all 102 Robert Rauschenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rauschenberg/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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