--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Research is what I'm doing when I don't…" description: "\"Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.\" — Wernher von Braun" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/wernher-von-braun-11841_doing_research-is-what-i-m-doing-when-i-don-t_2770382.jpg" --- # Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. ![“Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.” quote by Wernher von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/wernher-von-braun-11841_doing_research-is-what-i-m-doing-when-i-don-t_2770382.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/wernher-von-braun-11841_doing_research-is-what-i-m-doing-when-i-don-t_2770382.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/wernher-von-braun-11841_doing_research-is-what-i-m-doing-when-i-don-t_2770382.jpg) > “Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.” [Wernher von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Research occurs when uncertainty drives inquiry, revealing unknowns. **In simple terms:** Research thrives on not knowing. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty to discover. Themes curiosity exploration science Mood inquisitive analytical Type scientific reflective When to use this quote - lab experiments - product development - academic study - creative brainstorming Key Concepts epistemology problem solving innovation Questions to Reflect On - When do you know to stop researching? - How do you balance curiosity with practicality? A Different Perspective Uncertainty can lead to wasted effort without clear direction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Don Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-know-236502/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-doing-237273/) [Research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research/) [Research Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/research-doing-373341/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [“Basic research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I am doing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wernher-von-braun/basic-research-is-what-i-m-doing-when-i-don-t-know-what-i-am-doing/) [Wernher Von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) > [It's such a long mission and we get to spend so much time in space... we're doing such exciting research. And I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-clark/it-s-such-a-long-mission-and-we-get-to-spend-so-much-time-in-space-we/) [Laurel Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-clark/) > [More and more of out colleagues fail to understand our work because of the high specialization of research problems. 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You don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zaffis/a-lot-of-times-when-doing-the-paranormal-research-and-doing-an/) [John Zaffis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zaffis/) > [Do yoga in order to know what to do when you're not doing yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-stryker/do-yoga-in-order-to-know-what-to-do-when-you-re-not-doing-yoga/) [Rod Stryker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-stryker/) > [I don't know what I'm doing. I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm shopping around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-sweetland/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-i-have-no-idea-what-i-m-doing-i-m/) [Doug Sweetland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-sweetland/) > [When you don't know what you're doing, fake it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-fake-it/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [I don't know what I'm doing as a parent at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-faris/i-don-t-know-what-i-m-doing-as-a-parent-at-all/) [Anna Faris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-faris/) > [I know what I’m doing. 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The electron is materially inconceivable and yet, it is so perfectly known through its effects that we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wernher-von-braun/can-a-physicist-visualize-an-electron-the-electron-is-materially/) [Wernher von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) > [What we will have attained when Neil Armstrong steps down upon the moon is a completely new step in the evolution of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wernher-von-braun/what-we-will-have-attained-when-neil-armstrong-steps-down-upon-the/) [Wernher von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) > [The first men who set out for Mars had better make sure they leave everything at home in apple-pie order. They won't get back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wernher-von-braun/the-first-men-who-set-out-for-mars-had-better-make-sure-they-leave/) [Wernher von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) > [I only hope that we shall not wait to adopt the program until after our astronomers have reported a new and unsuspected asteroid moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wernher-von-braun/i-only-hope-that-we-shall-not-wait-to-adopt-the-program-until-after/) [Wernher von Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wernher-von-braun/) > [For me, the idea of a creation is not conceivable without invoking the necessity of design. 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