--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All good ideas start out as bad ideas…" description: "\"All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that's why it takes so long.\" — Steven Spielberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/steven-spielberg-963_bad-idea_all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-th_3170776.jpg" --- # All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that's why it takes… ![“All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that's why it takes so long.” quote by Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/steven-spielberg-963_bad-idea_all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-th_3170776.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/steven-spielberg-963_bad-idea_all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-th_3170776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/steven-spielberg-963_bad-idea_all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-th_3170776.jpg) > “All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that's why it takes so long.” [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great concepts often begin as flawed or unconventional, requiring time and refinement to become valuable. **In simple terms:** Bad ideas can become good ideas. Key Takeaway Invest time in iterating and improving ideas. Themes creativity innovation perseverance Mood inspirational pragmatic Type professional motivational When to use this quote - product development - screenwriting - startup brainstorming - research projects Key Concepts ideation iteration risk-taking Questions to Reflect On - What criteria do you use to decide which ideas to develop? - How do you balance patience with progress? A Different Perspective Not all bad ideas are worth salvaging; resources may be wasted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-idea/) [Bad ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-ideas/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Start](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-start-296840/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Start Bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-bad-3893537/) [Takes Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-long-301567/) ## Related quotes > [Government likes committees... a lot. Committees kill all the really good ideas and generally all the really bad ideas. They produce middle-ground mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/government-likes-committees-a-lot-committees-kill-all-the-really-good/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [The only way to oppose a bad idea is to replace it with a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/the-only-way-to-oppose-a-bad-idea-is-to-replace-it-with-a-good-idea/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [A lot of good ideas are actually bad ideas because, since they sound good, everybody's already doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-boyden/a-lot-of-good-ideas-are-actually-bad-ideas-because-since-they-sound/) [Edward Boyden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-boyden/) > [You see a lot of good ideas or well-written scripts that are bad ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mctiernan/you-see-a-lot-of-good-ideas-or-well-written-scripts-that-are-bad-ideas/) [John McTiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mctiernan/) > [The left is really good at selling bad ideas and the right is really bad at selling good ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-crenshaw/the-left-is-really-good-at-selling-bad-ideas-and-the-right-is-really/) [Dan Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-crenshaw/) > [Writin songs is like a mystery. The most difficult thing to do is have a good idea. If you have a decent idea, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/writin-songs-is-like-a-mystery-the-most-difficult-thing-to-do-is-have/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [We should invest in people not ideas. A good idea is often destroyed by bad people and good people can always make a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/we-should-invest-in-people-not-ideas-a-good-idea-is-often-destroyed/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Sometimes even hearing a bad idea is a great way to get to a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-day/sometimes-even-hearing-a-bad-idea-is-a-great-way-to-get-to-a-good-idea/) [Charlie Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-day/) > [Where ideas are concerned, America can be counted on to do one of two things: Take a good idea and run it completely into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/where-ideas-are-concerned-america-can-be-counted-on-to-do-one-of-two/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [“Picking a few hits requires a tolerance for many bad ideas, mediocre ideas, and even good ideas cursed with bad timing. Above all, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-thompson/picking-a-few-hits-requires-a-tolerance-for-many-bad-ideas-mediocre/) [Derek Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-thompson/) > [“Sometimes I have good ideas, sometimes I have bad ideas and sometimes I have colossally bad ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-cellier/sometimes-i-have-good-ideas-sometimes-i-have-bad-ideas-and-sometimes/) [Melanie Cellier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-cellier/) > [Idea-Advocacy Matrix highlights a couple of things: that good ideas need to be "sold" if they are ever going to see the light of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/idea-advocacy-matrix-highlights-a-couple-of-things-that-good-ideas/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [Any problem, big or small, within a family, always seems to start with bad communication. Someone isn't listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-thompson/any-problem-big-or-small-within-a-family-always-seems-to-start-with/) [Emma Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-thompson/) > [You may never know when things start to go bad, but when things are worse you know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/you-may-never-know-when-things-start-to-go-bad-but-when-things-are/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [If you take going to the bench as a demotion or something that's terrible, you start with a bad attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manu-ginobili/if-you-take-going-to-the-bench-as-a-demotion-or-something-that-s/) [Manu Ginobili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manu-ginobili/) ## More by Steven Spielberg > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Making a movie and not directing the little moments is like drinking a soda and leaving the little slurp puddle for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/making-a-movie-and-not-directing-the-little-moments-is-like-drinking/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Once scouting fully opens its doors to all who desire the same experience that so fully enriched me as a young person, I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/once-scouting-fully-opens-its-doors-to-all-who-desire-the-same/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I don't dream at night, I dream at day, I dream all day; I'm dreaming for living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-don-t-dream-at-night-i-dream-at-day-i-dream-all-day-i-m-dreaming/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I think the secret of great acting is that you have to bring your imagination to the party. You have to have a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-the-secret-of-great-acting-is-that-you-have-to-bring-your/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I think the greatest thing about DVD is the quality of sound and picture; the real estate to put more extras on; and, my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-think-the-greatest-thing-about-dvd-is-the-quality-of-sound-and/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Audience members are only concerned about the story, the concept, the bells and whistles and the noise that a popular film starts to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/audience-members-are-only-concerned-about-the-story-the-concept-the/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I was fifteen, or sixteen. I was in high school. I was spending a summer in California with my second cousins. And I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-was-fifteen-or-sixteen-i-was-in-high-school-i-was-spending-a-summer/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [You know, I don't really do that much looking inside me when I'm working on a project. Whatever I am becomes what that film…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/you-know-i-don-t-really-do-that-much-looking-inside-me-when-i-m/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Casting sometimes is fate and destiny more than skill and talent, from a director's point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/casting-sometimes-is-fate-and-destiny-more-than-skill-and-talent-from/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [The costume the actors wear and if they're in stylized makeup and wigs in a live-action movie let's say, in a big costume drama,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/the-costume-the-actors-wear-and-if-they-re-in-stylized-makeup-and/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I didn't read reviews earlier in my career, but I read them now as I'm older. I read them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-didn-t-read-reviews-earlier-in-my-career-but-i-read-them-now-as-i-m/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Whatever affect any of my films have on audiences, I just kind of stop at the door. I make them and I just don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/whatever-affect-any-of-my-films-have-on-audiences-i-just-kind-of-stop/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [ I've kept the people who've been in my career who I feel are my family. Kathy \[Kennedy\] had been with me since 1978. Janusz… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-ve-kept-the-people-who-ve-been-in-my-career-who-i-feel-are-my/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Desperate times require desperate measures. What Lincoln and the Lobbyist for the Amendment and the Manager of the Amendment and himself, what they did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/desperate-times-require-desperate-measures-what-lincoln-and-the/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) [Explore all 319 Steven Spielberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) ## More Bad idea quotes > [“In the parking lot, she drove and parked in a dark area with no other cars around. She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [By the time I was seventeen, I was on my way to Hollywood and didn't look back. My family is supportive now, but like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/by-the-time-i-was-seventeen-i-was-on-my-way-to-hollywood-and-didn-t/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [One thing I know is that it is a bad idea to marry someone who had bad parents. If they hated their mother, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-gilchrist/one-thing-i-know-is-that-it-is-a-bad-idea-to-marry-someone-who-had/) [Ellen Gilchrist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-gilchrist/) > [Government likes committees... a lot. Committees kill all the really good ideas and generally all the really bad ideas. They produce middle-ground mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/government-likes-committees-a-lot-committees-kill-all-the-really-good/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [It's not a bad idea to call this Cthulhuism & Yog-Sothothery of mine "The Mythology of Hastur" - although it was really from Machen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/it-s-not-a-bad-idea-to-call-this-cthulhuism-yog-sothothery-of-mine/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [More than any other personality trait, my mother seemed to be ruled by anger and sadness. She seemed to hate being a mother. Watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrill-markoe/more-than-any-other-personality-trait-my-mother-seemed-to-be-ruled-by/) [Merrill Markoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merrill-markoe/) > [“Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't mean to inflict my rantings on you, even though we are destined to spend the rest of our lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/sorry-he-apologized-i-didn-t-mean-to-inflict-my-rantings-on-you-even/) [connie willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [“Jesus. Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, Phoenix, L.A., and Seattle, plus two small towns she'd never heard of in the Gulf Coast region. The unit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-hooper/jesus-chicago-kansas-city-denver-phoenix-l-a-and-seattle-plus-two/) [Kay Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-hooper/) > [“Civilization is an experiment, a very recent way of life in the human career, and it has a habit of walking into what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-wright/civilization-is-an-experiment-a-very-recent-way-of-life-in-the-human/) [Ronald Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-wright/) > [Idea-Advocacy Matrix highlights a couple of things: that good ideas need to be "sold" if they are ever going to see the light of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/idea-advocacy-matrix-highlights-a-couple-of-things-that-good-ideas/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [“It is not a bad idea to get into the habbit of writing one's thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-colegate/it-is-not-a-bad-idea-to-get-into-the-habbit-of-writing-one-s-thoughts/) [Isabel Colegate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-colegate/) > [“Medical research has revealed that in about one-tenth of the population, the liver processes alcohol differently, releasing a chemical messenger that creates the craving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaylie-jones/medical-research-has-revealed-that-in-about-one-tenth-of-the/) [Kaylie Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaylie-jones/) > [“Sometimes I have good ideas, sometimes I have bad ideas and sometimes I have colossally bad ideas.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-cellier/sometimes-i-have-good-ideas-sometimes-i-have-bad-ideas-and-sometimes/) [Melanie Cellier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-cellier/) > [I have done conferences explaining that cloud is a bad idea. It's putting all your eggs in one basket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-demon-calce/i-have-done-conferences-explaining-that-cloud-is-a-bad-idea-it-s/) [Michael Demon Calce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-demon-calce/) > [Minimum sales prices for alcohol are a startlingly bad idea. As with excise duties, the effects are regressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/minimum-sales-prices-for-alcohol-are-a-startlingly-bad-idea-as-with/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) [Browse all 550 Bad idea quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-idea/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that's why it takes so long.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Steven Spielberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-that-s-why-it-takes-so-long/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad idea" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-that-s-why-it-takes-so-long/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/steven-spielberg-963_bad-idea_all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-th_3170776.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/steven-spielberg-963_bad-idea_all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-th_3170776.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/steven-spielberg-963_bad-idea_all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-th_3170776.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that's why it takes so long.” — Steven Spielberg", "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": "Steven Spielberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All good ideas start out as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-that-s-why-it-takes-so-long/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/all-good-ideas-start-out-as-bad-ideas-that-s-why-it-takes-so-long/#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 } } ] } ```