--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If your mind isn't open, keep your mouth…" description: "\"If your mind isn't open, keep your mouth shut too.\" — Sue Grafton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/sue-grafton-1640_ifs_if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth_1391585.png" --- # If your mind isn't open, keep your mouth shut too. ![“If your mind isn't open, keep your mouth shut too.” quote by Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/sue-grafton-1640_ifs_if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth_1391585.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/sue-grafton-1640_ifs_if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth_1391585.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/sue-grafton-1640_ifs_if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth_1391585.png) > “If your mind isn't open, keep your mouth shut too.” [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Open-mindedness requires restraint; speak only when you have something constructive. **In simple terms:** Stay silent if your mind isn’t open. Key Takeaway Listen before speaking. Themes communication mindfulness self‑control learning humility Mood thoughtful reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - team meetings - debates - social gatherings - online forums Key Concepts active listening cognitive openness speech etiquette Questions to Reflect On - When have you spoken without being open? - How does listening first improve outcomes? A Different Perspective Silence can be misinterpreted as disengagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Insult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insult/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Mind Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind-isn-450426/) [Mouth Shut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouth-shut/) [Mouths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouths/) [Open mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-mouth/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Shut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shut/) ## Related quotes > [Keep your mouth shut, and close up the doors of sight and sound, and as long as you live you will have no vexation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/keep-your-mouth-shut-and-close-up-the-doors-of-sight-and-sound-and-as/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [X + Y + Z X is work. Y is play. Z is keep your mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/x-y-z-x-is-work-y-is-play-z-is-keep-your-mouth-shut/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You're almost always better off keeping your mouth shut, but don't let that stop you from popping off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-re-almost-always-better-off-keeping-your-mouth-shut-but-don-t-let/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [“Only keep your eyes open and your mouth shut and everything will lead you to everything else in the end - ogni parte ad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/only-keep-your-eyes-open-and-your-mouth-shut-and-everything-will-lead/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [The best thing you can probably do is keep a low profile, keep your eyes and ears open, your mouth shut, and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/the-best-thing-you-can-probably-do-is-keep-a-low-profile-keep-your/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [“It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and prove it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-allen/it-is-better-to-keep-your-mouth-shut-and-be-thought-a-fool-than-to/) [Katie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-allen/) > [Best to keep your mouth shut and let the world think you are a fool rather than open your mouth and prove it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bak/best-to-keep-your-mouth-shut-and-let-the-world-think-you-are-a-fool/) [Bak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bak/) > [Sometimes you've got to keep your mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-harvick/sometimes-you-ve-got-to-keep-your-mouth-shut/) [Kevin Harvick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-harvick/) > [In discussions like this I'd rather keep my mouth shut. I'll get thrown out of this school...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-discussions-like-this-i-d-rather-keep-my-mouth-shut-i-ll-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are in it up to your ears, keep your mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-duhamel/when-you-are-in-it-up-to-your-ears-keep-your-mouth-shut/) [Georges Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-duhamel/) > [One of the hardest things in the world is keeping your mouth shut when you know something needs to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/one-of-the-hardest-things-in-the-world-is-keeping-your-mouth-shut/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I've never been mugged, never really experienced street fear. In fact, I'm the one who gets into arguments because I don't keep my mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-whittaker/i-ve-never-been-mugged-never-really-experienced-street-fear-in-fact-i/) [Jodie Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-whittaker/) > [I wish I had kept my damn mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-wish-i-had-kept-my-damn-mouth-shut/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I'm not going to keep my mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/i-m-not-going-to-keep-my-mouth-shut/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [Knowing when to keep your mouth shut is invariably more important than opening it at the right time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/knowing-when-to-keep-your-mouth-shut-is-invariably-more-important/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) ## More by Sue Grafton > [“Life is hard. Life hurts. So what? You tough it out. You get through and then you'll feel good again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/life-is-hard-life-hurts-so-what-you-tough-it-out-you-get-through-and/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“nothing wrong with a lie or two when the situation demanded it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/nothing-wrong-with-a-lie-or-two-when-the-situation-demanded-it/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“I can just about promise you Philip Marlowe was never as dainty as I.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/i-can-just-about-promise-you-philip-marlowe-was-never-as-dainty-as-i/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“You can always push people around, but it's not a good idea. Better to let them volunteer information for reasons of their own. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/you-can-always-push-people-around-but-it-s-not-a-good-idea-better-to/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [You can't make anyone love you and you can't stop anyone from dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/you-can-t-make-anyone-love-you-and-you-can-t-stop-anyone-from-dying/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“Some people die accidentally. It's a fact.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/some-people-die-accidentally-it-s-a-fact/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Thinking is hard work, which is why you don't see many people doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/thinking-is-hard-work-which-is-why-you-don-t-see-many-people-doing-it/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Pay enough for anything and it passes for taste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/pay-enough-for-anything-and-it-passes-for-taste/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“It’s hard to have faith in your fellow man when you’re forced to look at some of his handiwork.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/it-s-hard-to-have-faith-in-your-fellow-man-when-you-re-forced-to-look/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Insecure people have a special sensitivity for anything that finally confirms their own low opinion of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/insecure-people-have-a-special-sensitivity-for-anything-that-finally/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“I wondered if I'd ever be nice enough to volunteer for anything. I was hoping not.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/i-wondered-if-i-d-ever-be-nice-enough-to-volunteer-for-anything-i-was/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [Ideas are easy. It's the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/ideas-are-easy-it-s-the-execution-of-ideas-that-really-separates-the/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“You can't believe everything you hear. Sometimes, you can't even believe your eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/you-can-t-believe-everything-you-hear-sometimes-you-can-t-even/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“It wasn’t about finding the right answer; it was about patience and diligence. I surrendered to the process, ascribing the same importance to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/it-wasn-t-about-finding-the-right-answer-it-was-about-patience-and/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) > [“Life is simple. You're the one making things complex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/life-is-simple-you-re-the-one-making-things-complex/) [Sue Grafton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) [Explore all 217 Sue Grafton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If your mind isn't open, keep your mouth shut too.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sue Grafton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth-shut-too/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ifs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth-shut-too/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/sue-grafton-1640_ifs_if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth_1391585.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/sue-grafton-1640_ifs_if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth_1391585.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25d/sue-grafton-1640_ifs_if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth_1391585.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If your mind isn't open, keep your mouth shut too.” — Sue Grafton", "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": "Sue Grafton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-grafton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If your mind isn't open, keep...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth-shut-too/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-grafton/if-your-mind-isn-t-open-keep-your-mouth-shut-too/#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 } } ] } ```