10 Famous Quotes Einstein Never Said (That Are Still Wise)
Learn from what one of the greatest physicists NEVER said.
One of the safest bets in the world is that any quote1 you see attributed to Albert Einstein was never said by him.
There are even whole websites dedicated to finding the real source of these words of wisdom.
But even though Einstein never said them, these aphorisms are often thought-provoking and wise. So, here are 10 visuals of non-Einsteinian quotes that will make you think.
"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will always feel stupid."
We all have our own strengths and weaknesses.
Some weaknesses can be overcome but unless they are a “multiple by zero” kind, it’s usually better to focus on your strengths.
This is also a reason to know your circle of competence — what you know and what you don’t — and surround yourself with those who have skills you don’t.
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
I recently crossed the 1,000 subscriber mark (thank you) and a big reason was consistency — I kept writing, drawing and publishing for three years.
But I didn’t do the exact same thing each time. I paid attention to what was working, what didn’t, and what I wanted to do. Then I adapted.
If you keep getting the same results, you need to change your approach
"A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it."
Many problems are avoidable.
Experience and knowing what challenges will come is a big help, but taking a moment to think or even conduct a premortem can help you avoid even more.
And sometimes, a “problem” isn’t really a big deal at all.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
Look, knowledge is great. It can help guide and allow us to make rapid decisions.
But knowledge can also be blinding. When we “know” the answer, we might miss what is right in front of us. Imagination can help us come to more interesting solutions.
"We cannot solve problems using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
Old thinking won’t fix new problems.
Problems come from our beliefs, habits and systems. We can reduce their effects, but that’s just treating the symptoms, not the causes. To really address them, we need to change our approach and mindset.
Where do you need to change your thinking?
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
Difficulties are a fact of life.
Sure, some moments are easier than others but either you can embrace difficulties (and the opportunities they bring) or you can avoid them and miss out.
I don’t know about you, but I can have this strange thought in my head that “doing something important or new should be easy.” It’s completely illogical when you think about it, and yet it feels like important and good things should be easy.
Instead, we can actually use difficulty as a positive sign that we are engaging in something meaningful.
Speaking of which…
"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new."
When I first started playing guitar, I was horrible.
It would take me minutes to get my fingers in the correct positions so a chord would ring out only for it to suddenly stop as my grip weakened. But I stuck at it and now I am a decent guitarist.
When I later picked up the ukulele it was different. Fretting the chords was easy, and many of the chord shapes were similar to guitar shapes. What took me months to master on the guitar took me seconds on the Ukulele.
That’s because they used transferrable skills where I could apply pre-existing knowledge and abilities.
Most skills aren’t like this and yet we expect them to work that way.
Instead, we need to spend a long time trying and making mistakes to get forward.
Even now, when I write something I try to start typing as soon as possible even if I know it’s not right because the words more easily flow once I have.
"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."
My son just learned to ride a bike.
We used a slope so he would have momentum even without pedalling because the hardest part of balancing is when you start. He had been riding a balance bike so he took under 5 minutes to get it (he would have been quicker but I set the height of the seat wrong!)
Life is like this too. It's actually easier and faster to change direction when moving than starting from nothing. It's why even a little movement is important.
What is one step you can take today?
"A ship is always safe at harbour — but that is not what it is built for."
Everyone has a comfort zone, and that’s not a bad thing.
Just as boats need to dock, refuel and take shelter from the worst storms, so should you take rests.
But if you want to have an adventure or grow, you need to step outside your comfort zone.
"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."
Ever had a child keep asking you why till you can’t think of an answer anymore2?
It might feel annoying at the time, but that kind of curiosity is powerful. The five why’s technique was made famous by Toyota for this very reason. By not accepting the first answer and continuing to question, it’s possible to uncover deeper causes that would otherwise remain hidden.
You never know where your curiosity will take you.
Share your favourite non-Einstein quote
If you’ve enjoyed these visuals, I’d love it if you leave a comment with which is your favourite.
And you can help others discover them by sharing them on
Thank you
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The obvious exception is if it’s about Physics.
Pro tip: My game was to try and either answer in such a detailed way that they lost interest or turn it around so I could ask them why.
🔥 Love the key, and smart vs wise.
These quotes are mind blowing for me. Thanks