--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any method by which you get to see things…" description: "\"Any method by which you get to see things that you haven't seen before hones your practiced ability to make connections.\" — Stephen Metcalf" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/stephen-metcalf-64448_ability_any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-thing_3223510.png" --- # Any method by which you get to see things that you haven't… ![“Any method by which you get to see things that you haven't seen before hones your practiced ability to make connections.” quote by Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/stephen-metcalf-64448_ability_any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-thing_3223510.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/stephen-metcalf-64448_ability_any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-thing_3223510.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/stephen-metcalf-64448_ability_any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-thing_3223510.png) > “Any method by which you get to see things that you haven't seen before hones your practiced ability to make connections.” [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encountering unfamiliar ideas sharpens analytical skills, making it easier to draw novel connections later. **In simple terms:** Seeing new things improves your ability to connect ideas. Key Takeaway Expose yourself to diverse experiences regularly. Themes learning creativity cognition Mood inquisitive motivational Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - reading unfamiliar topics - travel - cross‑disciplinary workshops - problem‑solving sessions Key Concepts cognitive flexibility interdisciplinary thinking skill development Questions to Reflect On - What new experience challenged your thinking recently? - How do you integrate disparate ideas? A Different Perspective Overexposure can overwhelm without reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [Make connections; let rip; and dance where you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/make-connections-let-rip-and-dance-where-you-can/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Like China, the Internet is a huge new market. It's up to you to figure out what to do with it. Use it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-chase/like-china-the-internet-is-a-huge-new-market-it-s-up-to-you-to-figure/) Larry Chase > [You will find a way to make your message fresher. You'll find a way to make your connections in a way that will continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/you-will-find-a-way-to-make-your-message-fresher-you-ll-find-a-way-to/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [“I have more online contacts than I can count. I make about one hundred connections a day. I have access to millions of people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-have-more-online-contacts-than-i-can-count-i-make-about-one-hundred/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [The point of life for me is just to make connections with people and share experiences with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marnie-stern/the-point-of-life-for-me-is-just-to-make-connections-with-people-and/) [Marnie Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marnie-stern/) > [Be real. Make connections with people. Look them in the eye. Tell them how you feel. Don't be afraid to say what you mean.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-ray/be-real-make-connections-with-people-look-them-in-the-eye-tell-them/) [Rachael Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-ray/) > [On tour, it's necessary to meet people and make connections, but when I was a teenager, I found it difficult to approach people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iga-swiatek/on-tour-it-s-necessary-to-meet-people-and-make-connections-but-when-i/) [Iga Swiatek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iga-swiatek/) > [“In our high-tech world today, there are unlimited ways with which you can search for people, places, and events to connect you with like-minded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/in-our-high-tech-world-today-there-are-unlimited-ways-with-which-you/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [We are living in a world where access trumps knowledge every time. Those who know how to search, find and make the connections will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-jennings/we-are-living-in-a-world-where-access-trumps-knowledge-every-time/) Charles Jennings > [Creativity is especially expressed in the ability to make connections, to make associations, to turn things around and express them in a new way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hansen/creativity-is-especially-expressed-in-the-ability-to-make-connections/) Tim Hansen > [I think we're put out into the world to forge relationships with people. Those can be as small as buying coffee from someone or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-nakadate/i-think-we-re-put-out-into-the-world-to-forge-relationships-with/) [Laurel Nakadate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-nakadate/) > [To create is to relate. We trust in the artist in everybody to make his own connections, his own juxtapositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corita-kent/to-create-is-to-relate-we-trust-in-the-artist-in-everybody-to-make/) [Corita Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corita-kent/) > [The most important thing is to recognize how important it is to market yourself and make connections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hargrave/the-most-important-thing-is-to-recognize-how-important-it-is-to/) [Sam Hargrave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hargrave/) > [There is something restless and curious about the Irish. Like everybody else, we want to make money and make our way in the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/there-is-something-restless-and-curious-about-the-irish-like/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [“The internet has given us the ability to connect with anyone, anywhere, but it's up to us to make those connections meaningful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/medicosaurabh/the-internet-has-given-us-the-ability-to-connect-with-anyone-anywhere/) [medicosaurabh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/medicosaurabh/) ## More by Stephen Metcalf > [The beauty of design ought to be totally incidental to the enterprise itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/the-beauty-of-design-ought-to-be-totally-incidental-to-the-enterprise/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) > [I hit adolescence only to discover my autobiography had already been written; plagiarized, in fact, by a man named J.D. Salinger who, in appropriating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/i-hit-adolescence-only-to-discover-my-autobiography-had-already-been/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) > [Art is often confused with the skill of drawing. It is the skill of making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/art-is-often-confused-with-the-skill-of-drawing-it-is-the-skill-of/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) > [Dark, subtle, complex, wicked - if only Hollywood movies were half as interesting as Hollywood accounting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/dark-subtle-complex-wicked-if-only-hollywood-movies-were-half-as/) [Stephen Metcalf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) [Explore all 5 Stephen Metcalf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any method by which you get to see things that you haven't seen before hones your practiced ability to make connections.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Metcalf" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-things-that-you-haven-t-seen/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-things-that-you-haven-t-seen/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/stephen-metcalf-64448_ability_any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-thing_3223510.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/stephen-metcalf-64448_ability_any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-thing_3223510.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/425/stephen-metcalf-64448_ability_any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-thing_3223510.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Any method by which you get to see things that you haven't seen before hones your practiced ability to make…” — Stephen Metcalf", "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": "Stephen Metcalf", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-metcalf/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Any method by which you get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-things-that-you-haven-t-seen/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-metcalf/any-method-by-which-you-get-to-see-things-that-you-haven-t-seen/#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 } } ] } ```