--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great idea goes through three stages on…" description: "\"A great idea goes through three stages on its way to acceptance: 1) it is dismissed as nonsense, 2) it is acknowledged as true, but insignificant, 3) f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/william-james-228_acceptance_a-great-idea-goes-through-three-stages-o_1606709.png" --- # A great idea goes through three stages on its way to… ![“A great idea goes through three stages on its way to acceptance: 1) it is dismissed as nonsense, 2) it is acknowledged as true, but insignificant, 3) finally, it is seen to be important, but not really anything new.” quote by William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/william-james-228_acceptance_a-great-idea-goes-through-three-stages-o_1606709.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/william-james-228_acceptance_a-great-idea-goes-through-three-stages-o_1606709.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64e/william-james-228_acceptance_a-great-idea-goes-through-three-stages-o_1606709.png) > “A great idea goes through three stages on its way to acceptance: 1) it is dismissed as nonsense, 2) it is acknowledged as true, but insignificant, 3) finally, it is seen to be important, but not really anything new.” [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas often face initial ridicule, then partial acceptance, and finally recognition as significant yet not novel. **In simple terms:** Ideas are first mocked, then partly accepted, then seen as important but old. Key Takeaway Expect resistance before ideas gain full acceptance. Themes innovation acceptance skepticism Mood frustration hopeful Type observational motivational When to use this quote - business pitches - scientific theories - artistic movements - policy proposals Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle early dismissal of your ideas? - What strategies help shift perception from insignificant to important? A Different Perspective Even after acceptance, ideas may be seen as derivative, limiting impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Great idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-idea/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [All new ideas pass through three stages: first they are dismissed as nonsense, then they are rejected as being against religion and finally they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-ernst-von-baer/all-new-ideas-pass-through-three-stages-first-they-are-dismissed-as/) [Karl Ernst von Baer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-ernst-von-baer/) > [Being creative and playing with your content during the holidays is a great idea. But straying too far from your fundamental brand (from address,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ford/being-creative-and-playing-with-your-content-during-the-holidays-is-a/) [Paul Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ford/) > [“Great idea," I said. "Call the police. Call the fucking police.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-gardner/great-idea-i-said-call-the-police-call-the-fucking-police/) [Ava Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ava-gardner/) > [Most people who have kids are, "Hey, I want another me. I like me. I'm pretty cool, and I've got really great ideas, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/most-people-who-have-kids-are-hey-i-want-another-me-i-like-me-i-m/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [I do value my work awfully; but in reality only consider this: all this world of ours is nothing but a speck of mildew,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-do-value-my-work-awfully-but-in-reality-only-consider-this-all-this/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [It was a great idea from my teammate Jamal Crawford. He kept telling me to jump over Spud, so we decided to call him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-robinson/it-was-a-great-idea-from-my-teammate-jamal-crawford-he-kept-telling/) [Nate Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-robinson/) > [Getting a great idea with song writing is a lot like love. You don't know why this one is different, but it is. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/getting-a-great-idea-with-song-writing-is-a-lot-like-love-you-don-t/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Great ideas behave like the Sun. Even in the middle of nowhere, they find people and shine on them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/great-ideas-behave-like-the-sun-even-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-they/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [...all members of Congress should be required wear NASCAR uniforms. You know, the kind with the patches? 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If you get it right, you're going to be a critical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/you-need-a-great-idea-but-then-you-ve-got-to-carry-it-through-if-you/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [The opposite of every great idea is another great idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niels-bohr/the-opposite-of-every-great-idea-is-another-great-idea/) [Niels Bohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niels-bohr/) > [I saw this DJ playing music and saying things to the kids. They would answer him back, and I say, 'That's a great idea.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-robinson/i-saw-this-dj-playing-music-and-saying-things-to-the-kids-they-would/) [Sylvia Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-robinson/) > [Exhilaration is that feeling you get just after a great idea hits you, and just before you realize what's wrong with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-harrison/exhilaration-is-that-feeling-you-get-just-after-a-great-idea-hits-you/) [Rex Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-harrison/) > [ \[Photographer Julian Wasser\] had this great idea that I should play chess naked with Marcel Duchamp and it seem to be such a great… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-babitz/photographer-julian-wasser-had-this-great-idea-that-i-should-play/) [Eve Babitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-babitz/) ## More by William James > [Effort is the one strictly undervalued and original contribution we make to this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/effort-is-the-one-strictly-undervalued-and-original-contribution-we/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing: getting up, dressing ourselves, answering the person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/in-the-dim-background-of-our-mind-we-know-meanwhile-what-we-ought-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“Our minds thus grow in spots; and like grease-spots, the spots spread. 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They may have seen them, may have said them, done them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/most-people-probably-are-in-doubt-about-certain-matters-ascribed-to/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“How soon, indeed, are human things forgotten! As we meet here this morning, the Southern sun is shining on their place of burial, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/how-soon-indeed-are-human-things-forgotten-as-we-meet-here-this/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [There can be no difference anywhere that does not make a difference somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/there-can-be-no-difference-anywhere-that-does-not-make-a-difference/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [It is wrong always, everywhere, and for everyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/it-is-wrong-always-everywhere-and-for-everyone-to-believe-anything/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [The pragmatist turns away from abstraction and insufficiency, from verbal solutions, from bad a priori reasons, from fixed principles, closed systems, and pretended absolutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-pragmatist-turns-away-from-abstraction-and-insufficiency-from/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) [Explore all 854 William James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. 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