--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's a huge misconception that…" description: "\"There's a huge misconception that innovation is mostly about inventing or coming up with cool new things. More often than not, innovation is about figu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/ziad-k-abdelnour-637_innovation_there-s-a-huge-misconception-that-innova_561886.jpg" --- # There's a huge misconception that innovation is mostly… ![“There's a huge misconception that innovation is mostly about inventing or coming up with cool new things. More often than not, innovation is about figuring out what people really need or want but can't have or afford.” quote by Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/ziad-k-abdelnour-637_innovation_there-s-a-huge-misconception-that-innova_561886.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/ziad-k-abdelnour-637_innovation_there-s-a-huge-misconception-that-innova_561886.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/063/ziad-k-abdelnour-637_innovation_there-s-a-huge-misconception-that-innova_561886.jpg) > “There's a huge misconception that innovation is mostly about inventing or coming up with cool new things. More often than not, innovation is about figuring out what people really need or want but can't have or afford.” [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation is driven by identifying unmet needs and creating affordable solutions, not just flashy inventions. **In simple terms:** Innovation solves real problems affordably. Key Takeaway Focus on user needs before flashy ideas. Themes innovation needs affordability Mood analytical motivational Type strategic practical When to use this quote - product development - social entrepreneurship - policy design Key Concepts design thinking market research Questions to Reflect On - What unmet need can you address today? - How do you test affordability early? A Different Perspective Innovation may fail without technical feasibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Inventing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inventing/) [Misconception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misconception/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Thought provoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-provoking/) ## Related quotes > [We focus on building innovation and inventing technology futures and we figure that it will take care of the rest. So far, it's done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-kahn/we-focus-on-building-innovation-and-inventing-technology-futures-and/) [Philippe Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-kahn/) > [Unfortunately, in rich-world health, innovation is both your friend and your enemy. Innovation is inventing organ replacement, joint replacement. We're inventing ways of doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/unfortunately-in-rich-world-health-innovation-is-both-your-friend-and/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Implementing best practice is copying yesterday; innovation is inventing tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sloane/implementing-best-practice-is-copying-yesterday-innovation-is/) [Paul Sloane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sloane/) > [When you start with next to nothing, all you've got is a lot of thought, a lot of innovation, figuring new ways to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-dejoria/when-you-start-with-next-to-nothing-all-you-ve-got-is-a-lot-of/) [John Paul DeJoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-dejoria/) > [I'm as proud of many of the things we haven't done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-m-as-proud-of-many-of-the-things-we-haven-t-done-as-the-things-we/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [One of the challenges of innovation is figuring out how to wipe your mind clean about what you should be doing at any given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mason/one-of-the-challenges-of-innovation-is-figuring-out-how-to-wipe-your/) [Andrew Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mason/) > [Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-levitt/creativity-is-thinking-up-new-things-innovation-is-doing-new-things/) [Theodore Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-levitt/) > [“Thinking of stuff is not innovation. Tinkering with stuff is not innovation. Even inventing stuff is not innovation. 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Whether it's laying out a garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/as-human-beings-we-are-the-only-organisms-that-create-for-the-sheer/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Each time one prematurely teaches a child something he could have discovered himself, that child is kept from inventing it and consequently from understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/each-time-one-prematurely-teaches-a-child-something-he-could-have/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [With all the technology we're inventing and what they're coming up with scientifically, people are having longer lifetimes. It's scary, but in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-murphy/with-all-the-technology-we-re-inventing-and-what-they-re-coming-up/) [Brittany Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-murphy/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) ## More by Ziad K. Abdelnour > [“This Syrian circus/crisis we are going through is hilarious... It’s like watching some thug killing another person and asking him for his bullets but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/this-syrian-circus-crisis-we-are-going-through-is-hilarious-it-s-like/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“I do not believe in the power of brand names or in emulating any of the brand name investors out there. It is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/i-do-not-believe-in-the-power-of-brand-names-or-in-emulating-any-of/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“After analyzing our current crisis and studying well-established historical precedents, I must conclude that the global bankers have only three possible cards left to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/after-analyzing-our-current-crisis-and-studying-well-established/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“FINAO. My word for my companies. Failure Is Not An Option.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/finao-my-word-for-my-companies-failure-is-not-an-option/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“Remember...Whoever is trying to bring you down is already below you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/remember-whoever-is-trying-to-bring-you-down-is-already-below-you/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“Always Remember... Once You Give Up Your Rights, You Can Never Get Them Back. Once You Turn On That Police State, You Can Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/always-remember-once-you-give-up-your-rights-you-can-never-get-them/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“The longer the explanation, the bigger the lie… Always remember that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/the-longer-the-explanation-the-bigger-the-lie-always-remember-that/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“If a problem can be solved by writing a check, it's not a problem, it's an expense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/if-a-problem-can-be-solved-by-writing-a-check-it-s-not-a-problem-it-s/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“People keep asking me ...How to instantly become a better writer? It’s simple: Use "power words" and see for yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/people-keep-asking-me-how-to-instantly-become-a-better-writer-it-s/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [Thanks to the people that walked in to my life and made it better. And thanks to the ones who walked out and made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/thanks-to-the-people-that-walked-in-to-my-life-and-made-it-better-and/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“The biggest threat to American power in the long run is the persistent decline in its middle class standard of living today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/the-biggest-threat-to-american-power-in-the-long-run-is-the/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“If you want to raise your standard of living, raise your standard of giving”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/if-you-want-to-raise-your-standard-of-living-raise-your-standard-of/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“If wealth is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/if-wealth-is-your-hope-for-independence-you-will-never-have-it-the/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“Since the dawn of the twentieth century, we have been told that the federal government has the answers to solve all of society’s problems.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/since-the-dawn-of-the-twentieth-century-we-have-been-told-that-the/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [“Difference between being Rich and Being Wealthy? Time...Nothing is more important than TIME... can't buy it back ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/difference-between-being-rich-and-being-wealthy-time-nothing-is-more/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) [Explore all 434 Ziad K. Abdelnour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) ## More Innovation quotes > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“In the innovation age customer experience is key. Your impression defines their expression”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/in-the-innovation-age-customer-experience-is-key-your-impression/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Incrementalism never allows innovation to flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/incrementalism-never-allows-innovation-to-flourish/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [Why is it that, when we want to think outside the proverbial box, we often put ourselves in one? We gather our team in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/why-is-it-that-when-we-want-to-think-outside-the-proverbial-box-we/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) > [We have to be innovative, we have to be fresh, we have to be new. People are counting on that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-barthel/we-have-to-be-innovative-we-have-to-be-fresh-we-have-to-be-new-people/) [Sarah Barthel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-barthel/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/) [Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/) > [“Some innovations just don’t attract enough economic or social demand: just as supersonic flight and manned space flight stagnated after the 1970s, today (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-j-rees/some-innovations-just-don-t-attract-enough-economic-or-social-demand/) Martin J. Rees > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Other things being equal, it is the person who can lift his work up to the plane of the intuitional and inspiration who achieves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanwood-cobb/other-things-being-equal-it-is-the-person-who-can-lift-his-work-up-to/) Stanwood Cobb > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Browse all 4,437 Innovation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's a huge misconception that innovation is mostly about inventing or coming up with cool new things. More often than not, innovation is about figuring out what people really need or want but can't have or afford.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ziad K. 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