--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It can be a relief to know that, in…" description: "\"“It can be a relief to know that, in coming up with fresh ideas, we don’t have to invent from scratch; we can draw upon what already exists and use tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/warren-berger-20636_bits-and-pieces_it-can-be-a-relief-to-know-that-in-comin_452936.png" --- # It can be a relief to know that, in coming up with fresh… ![“It can be a relief to know that, in coming up with fresh ideas, we don’t have to invent from scratch; we can draw upon what already exists and use that as raw material. The key may lie in connecting those bits and pieces in a clever, unusual, and useful way, resulting in (to use a term that seems…” quote by Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/warren-berger-20636_bits-and-pieces_it-can-be-a-relief-to-know-that-in-comin_452936.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/warren-berger-20636_bits-and-pieces_it-can-be-a-relief-to-know-that-in-comin_452936.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9e/warren-berger-20636_bits-and-pieces_it-can-be-a-relief-to-know-that-in-comin_452936.png) > ““It can be a relief to know that, in coming up with fresh ideas, we don’t have to invent from scratch; we can draw upon what already exists and use that as raw material. The key may lie in connecting those bits and pieces in a clever, unusual, and useful way, resulting in (to use a term that seems to have39 originated with the British designer John Thackara) smart recombinations.”” [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation often comes from recombining existing ideas creatively rather than inventing from nothing. **In simple terms:** Combine old ideas in new ways. Key Takeaway Seek connections between known concepts. Themes creativity innovation ideas Mood inspirational curious Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - product development - research - problem solving - artistic creation Key Concepts conceptual blending design thinking Questions to Reflect On - What existing ideas can you recombine? - How do you ensure recombinations add value? A Different Perspective May overlook the need for original breakthroughs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bits and pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits-and-pieces/) [Fresh ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fresh-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent/) [Raw material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raw-material/) [Recombinations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recombinations-3949139/) [Smart Recombinations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart-recombinations-3949138/) ## Related quotes > [You are your own raw material. When you know what you consist of and what you want to make of it, then you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/you-are-your-own-raw-material-when-you-know-what-you-consist-of-and/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [Ideas are the engines of progress. They improve people's lives by creating better ways to do things. They build and grow successful organizations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-robinson/ideas-are-the-engines-of-progress-they-improve-people-s-lives-by/) [Alan Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-robinson/) > [Almost without exception, members of great groups see themselves as winning underdogs, as a feisty David hurling fresh ideas at a big, backward-looking Goliath.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-g-bennis/almost-without-exception-members-of-great-groups-see-themselves-as/) [Warren G. Bennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-g-bennis/) > [The important part is keeping an open mind and searching for fresh ideas and perspectives. t](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/the-important-part-is-keeping-an-open-mind-and-searching-for-fresh/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [It's important to have people who are absolutely willing to say you're wrong or who have a totally different perspective than you do on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/it-s-important-to-have-people-who-are-absolutely-willing-to-say-you/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [A fresh mind keeps the body fresh. Take in the ideas of the day, drain off those of yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/a-fresh-mind-keeps-the-body-fresh-take-in-the-ideas-of-the-day-drain-2/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [I'm not one for conventional wisdom. I founded my label in 1998, but after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, my Japanese backers pulled out, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-cornejo/i-m-not-one-for-conventional-wisdom-i-founded-my-label-in-1998-but/) [Maria Cornejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-cornejo/) > [ Some people don't understand that but it's nice when it really just gets to the point then that it \[music\] doesn't get played so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-ray-vaughan/some-people-don-t-understand-that-but-it-s-nice-when-it-really-just/) [Stevie Ray Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-ray-vaughan/) > [The incomparable James Walvin has done it again: he has crafted a beautifully written and deeply informed single volume history of the Atlantic slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-blight/the-incomparable-james-walvin-has-done-it-again-he-has-crafted-a/) [David W. Blight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-blight/) > [Life goes on, and we have to keep coming up with fresh ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-cavalera/life-goes-on-and-we-have-to-keep-coming-up-with-fresh-ideas/) [Max Cavalera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-cavalera/) > [A fresh mind keeps the body fresh. Take in the ideas of the day, drain off those of yesterday. As to the morrow, time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-fresh-mind-keeps-the-body-fresh-take-in-the-ideas-of-the-day-drain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a good meeting there is a momentum that comes from the spontaneous exchange of fresh ideas and produces extraordinary results. That momentum depends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-geneen/in-a-good-meeting-there-is-a-momentum-that-comes-from-the-spontaneous/) [Harold Geneen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-geneen/) > [Institutional memory is important in any organization, but so are fresh ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/institutional-memory-is-important-in-any-organization-but-so-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Start a painting with fresh ideas, and then let the painting replace your ideas with its ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-darby-bannard/start-a-painting-with-fresh-ideas-and-then-let-the-painting-replace/) [Walter Darby Bannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-darby-bannard/) > [... what we should be looking for is fresh ideas of how we make moral decisions about our dealings with one another, economic, social,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-mccaughey/what-we-should-be-looking-for-is-fresh-ideas-of-how-we-make-moral/) [Davis McCaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-mccaughey/) ## More by Warren Berger > [“To the extent a school is like a factory,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/to-the-extent-a-school-is-like-a-factory/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“Yes, we want a Silicon Valley,” she said, “but do we really want three hundred million people who actually think for themselves?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/yes-we-want-a-silicon-valley-she-said-but-do-we-really-want-three/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“with others.” Bennett culls all of these bits59 and shares the best of them with the people at IDEO, or with a larger audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/with-others-bennett-culls-all-of-these-bits59-and-shares-the-best-of/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [We have an education and business culture that tends to reward quick factual answers over imaginative inquiry. Questioning isn’t encouraged—it is barely tolerated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/we-have-an-education-and-business-culture-that-tends-to-reward-quick/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“As you make those daily choices about what to spend your time on and which possibilities to pursue, the author and consultant John Hagel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/as-you-make-those-daily-choices-about-what-to-spend-your-time-on-and/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“The main premise of appreciative inquiry is that positive questions, focusing on strengths and assets, tend to yield more effective results than negative questions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/the-main-premise-of-appreciative-inquiry-is-that-positive-questions/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“I’ve always been very concerned with democracy. If you can’t imagine you could be wrong, what’s the point of democracy? And if you can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/i-ve-always-been-very-concerned-with-democracy-if-you-can-t-imagine/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [If we’re born to inquire, then why must it be taught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/if-we-re-born-to-inquire-then-why-must-it-be-taught/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“What if our schools could train students to be better lifelong learners and better adapters to change, by enabling them to be better questioners?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/what-if-our-schools-could-train-students-to-be-better-lifelong/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“What might the potential for humans be if we really encouraged that spirit of questioning in children, instead of closing it down? I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/what-might-the-potential-for-humans-be-if-we-really-encouraged-that/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“What would happen if this happens?’ I do that on my own—I do all of my exploring outside of school. Because in school it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/what-would-happen-if-this-happens-i-do-that-on-my-own-i-do-all-of-my/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“Death to Core Competency,” suggests that whatever a company’s specialty product or service might be—whatever got you to where you are today—might not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/death-to-core-competency-suggests-that-whatever-a-company-s-specialty/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [Fear is the enemy of curiosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/fear-is-the-enemy-of-curiosity/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“Our grandfathers and great grandfathers18 built schools to train people to have a lifetime of productive labor as part of the industrialized economy. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/our-grandfathers-and-great-grandfathers18-built-schools-to-train/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) > [“But the happiest people he encountered —including some living extremely modestly—had a strong connection to those around them. “They laughed and really enjoyed being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-berger/but-the-happiest-people-he-encountered-including-some-living/) [Warren Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) [Explore all 29 Warren Berger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-berger/) ## More Bits and pieces quotes > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [You can't fool an audience with lots of bits and pieces. You have to lead them somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-rampling/you-can-t-fool-an-audience-with-lots-of-bits-and-pieces-you-have-to/) [Charlotte Rampling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-rampling/) > [ Our revolution is like Wikipedia, okay? Everyone is contributing content, \[but\] you don't know the names of the people contributing the content. This is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wael-ghonim/our-revolution-is-like-wikipedia-okay-everyone-is-contributing/) [Wael Ghonim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wael-ghonim/) > [“I sat at her desk and turned one page after another, staring at what looked like bits and pieces of black lace laid cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/i-sat-at-her-desk-and-turned-one-page-after-another-staring-at-what/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Someone who is reinventing always has spare time. Part of reinvention is collecting little bits and pieces of time and carving them the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/someone-who-is-reinventing-always-has-spare-time-part-of-reinvention/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“A clearing of a gravelly throat pulled him from his thoughts. He turned and looked at Thomas, the boat captain, who was seventy if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/a-clearing-of-a-gravelly-throat-pulled-him-from-his-thoughts-he/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [At this point we've answered about every question you could possibly imagine about Deep Space Nine, so we do this thing called Theatrical Jazz,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-auberjonois/at-this-point-we-ve-answered-about-every-question-you-could-possibly/) [Rene Auberjonois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-auberjonois/) > [ I missed the whole thing \[X-files series\]. And I know it went for nine seasons, and I think I saw bits and pieces of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-darby/i-missed-the-whole-thing-x-files-series-and-i-know-it-went-for-nine/) [Rhys Darby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-darby/) > [“Novelist Sinclair Lewis was supposed to deliver an hour-long lecture to a group of college students who planned to be writers. Lewis opened his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-prichard/novelist-sinclair-lewis-was-supposed-to-deliver-an-hour-long-lecture/) [Peter Prichard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-prichard/) > [If you can't imagine it, think clumsy silence. Think bits and pieces of floating despair. And drowning in a train.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/if-you-can-t-imagine-it-think-clumsy-silence-think-bits-and-pieces-of/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I knew that in the last few minutes everything had changed. I'd tried to hold myself apart, showing only what I wanted, doling out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-knew-that-in-the-last-few-minutes-everything-had-changed-i-d-tried/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [“But everyone remembered; what she loved was this, here, now, in front of her; the fat lady in the cab. Did it matter then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/but-everyone-remembered-what-she-loved-was-this-here-now-in-front-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Growing up, for years and years I had no idea what the plots of operas were, and that's part of what fascinated me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/growing-up-for-years-and-years-i-had-no-idea-what-the-plots-of-operas/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [“I have to admit that most of the time I read in the same way that I smoke and chew gum and jiggle my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/i-have-to-admit-that-most-of-the-time-i-read-in-the-same-way-that-i/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [I take little bits and pieces of ideas that I may or may not believe in but I give them to this character and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/i-take-little-bits-and-pieces-of-ideas-that-i-may-or-may-not-believe/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) [Browse all 259 Bits and pieces quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bits-and-pieces/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It can be a relief to know that, in coming up with fresh ideas, we don’t have to invent from scratch; we can draw upon what already exists and use that as raw material. 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