There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music.
T. S. EliotRead
Anxiety is the hand maiden of creativity.
Interpretation
Anxiety can often drive and enhance creative expression.
This quote suggests that feelings of anxiety are not just burdens; they can also inspire creativity. T. S. Eliot implies that the struggles and tensions of anxiety may lead individuals to produce their most imaginative and innovative work, turning discomfort into artistic expression.
In practice
In a talk about overcoming creative blocks, quoting Eliot to highlight how anxiety can fuel artistic inspiration.
There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music.
Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm. But the harm does not interest them.
I am an Anglo-Catholic in religion, a classicist in literature and a royalist in politics.
If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?
For I have known them all already, known them allβ Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
Nobody knows what will work until they try it. Some of comics' biggest success stories in recent years have explored subjects that no one was writing about at the time - stories no one had any reason to think would succeed. My advice? Write what you want to read. You'll have more fun doing it - and if all else fails, you'll always have at least one loyal reader.
We need to make the world safe for creativity and intuition, for it's creativity and intuition that will make the world safe for us.
Creativity is connected to your passion, that light inside you that drives you. That joy that comes when you do something you love. That small voice that tells you, 'I like this. Do this again. You are good at it. Keep going.' That is the juicy stuff that lubricates our lives and helps us feel less alone in the world.
It often feels like a tremendous amount of work is required to get an idea moving forward, like pushing a train uphill. But at a certain point, the thing takes on its own momentum, and takes unexpected turns. So it's that feeling of holding on, rather than pushing it, that is the most exciting thing. It's that need to occasionally bounce off the walls, letting anything happen for any reason, and having nothing to guide you that is the joy.
I don't know where my ideas come from, but I know where they come to. They come to my desk, and if I'm not there, they go away again.
Where do new ideas come from? The answer is simple: differences. While there are many theories of creativity, the only tenet they all share is that creativity comes from unlikely juxtapositions. The best way to maximize differences is to mix ages, cultures, and disciplines.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.