Quotes by Edward de Bono

About Edward de Bono:

Edward de Bono is a Maltese physician, psychologist, author, inventor and consultant. He originated the term lateral thinking, wrote the book Six Thinking Hats and is a proponent of the teaching of thinking as a subject in schools.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

I do a great deal of work with young children, and if you give a child a problem, he may come up with a highly original solution, because he doesn't have the established route to it.

Edward de Bono

A painter may be looking at the world in a way which is very different from everyone else. If he's a craftsman, he can get other people to see the world through his eyes, and so he enlarges our vision, perception, and there's great value in that.

Edward de Bono

In the future, instead of striving to be right at a high cost, it will be more appropriate to be flexible and plural at a lower cost. If you cannot accurately predict the future then you must flexibly be prepared to deal with various possible futures...

Edward de Bono

A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen.

Edward de Bono

Sometimes the situation is only a problem because it is looked at in a certain way. Looked at in another way, the right course of action may be so obvious that the problem no longer exists.

Edward de Bono

An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.

Edward de Bono

Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic.

Edward de Bono

One very important aspect of motivation is the willingness to stop and to look at things that no one else has bothered to look at. This simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity.

Edward de Bono

An expert is someone who has succeeded in making decisions and judgements simpler through knowing what to pay attention to and what to ignore.

Edward de Bono

If you wait for opportunities to occur, you will be one of the crowd.

Edward de Bono

People should realize we're jerks just like them.

Edward de Bono

Humour is by far the most significant activity of the human brain.

Edward de Bono

Creative thinking - in terms of idea creativity - is not a mystical talent. It is a skill that can be practised and nurtured.

Edward de Bono

I think there is a danger with young people of being dependent in the sense that they don't acquire any identity or self-image of themselves as thinkers.

Edward de Bono

What the joke displays is a switch in perception. This is important in changing the way we think.

Edward de Bono

There's a danger in the internet and social media. The notion that information is enough, that more and more information is enough, that you don't have to think, you just have to get more information - gets very dangerous.

Edward de Bono

I think school is a place where thinking should be taught.

Edward de Bono

Teaching thinking for just five hours to unemployed youngsters increased employment 500 percent.

Edward de Bono

Opportunity ideas do not lie around waiting to be discovered. Such ideas need to be produced.

Edward de Bono

I must say, I don't feel very qualified to be a pop star. I feel very awkward at times in the role.

Edward de Bono

The image that concerns most people is the reflection they see in other people's minds.

Edward de Bono

Author Bio

  • NameEdward de Bono
  • DescriptionMaltese physician
  • BornMay 19, 1933
  • CountryMalta
  • ProfessionPhysician; Psychologist; Writer