Poetry is a street fighter. It has sharp elbows. It can look after itself. Poetry can't be used for manipulation; it's why you never see good poetry in advertising.
David WhyteRead
To seek out beauty in our work is to make a pilgrimage of our labors, to understand that the consummation of work lies not only in what we have done, but who we have become while accomplishing the task.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that finding beauty in our work transforms our efforts into a meaningful journey rather than just a completion of tasks.
David Whyte emphasizes that the true value of our work extends beyond the final outcome; it encompasses the growth and development we experience as individuals during the process. When we seek beauty in our tasks, we engage in a deeper, more reflective journey of self-discovery that enriches both our labor and our lives.
Themes
BeautyWorkJourneyGrowthLabor
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a team meeting to inspire colleagues about the deeper value of their contributions.
More from David Whyte
All quotes →Poetry is often the art of overhearing yourself say things you didn't know you knew. It is a learned skill to force yourself to articulate your life, your present world or your possibilities for the future.
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By definition, poetry works with qualities and dynamics that mainstream society is reluctant to face head-on. It's an interesting phenomenon that by necessity, poetry is just below the radar.
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The price of our vitality is the sum of all our fears
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The severest test of work today, is not of our strategies, but of our imaginations and identities.
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We learn, grow and become compassionate and generous as much through exile as homecoming, as much through loss as gain, as much through giving things away as in receiving what we believe to be our due.
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On the whole, actors shout when they don't know what they're doing, trying to make an impact.
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I think art is a healing force, and if we give in to the joy that can be found in art, then we are able to sustain ourselves in spite of ourselves.
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There is no civilization that did not begin with art, Whether it was drawing a line in the sand, painting a cave or dancing.
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