To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.
Aldous HuxleyRead
And so, resisting the temptation to wallow in artistic remorse, I prefer to leave both well and ill alone and to think about something else
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of not dwelling on past artistic failures or regrets; instead, it encourages focusing on new ideas and creations.
Aldous Huxley's quote suggests that artists should avoid the trap of regret and self-pity regarding their work. Instead of being consumed by the desire to revisit and judge past creations—whether successful or not—it's more fruitful to shift their attention towards new possibilities and ideas, allowing for ongoing innovation and creativity.
Themes
ArtCreativityRegretInnovationFocus
In practice
Example use cases
In an art therapy session, I encouraged participants to embrace this quote as they reflected on their past works.
More from Aldous Huxley
All quotes →Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
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In the course of history many more people have died for their drink and their dope than have died for their religion or their country.
Aldous HuxleyRead
On no account brood over your wrongdoing. Rolling in the muck is not the best way of getting clean.
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No man ever dared to manifest his boredom so insolently as does a Siamese tomcat when he yawns in the face of his amorously importunate wife.
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The leech's kiss, the squid's embrace, The prurient ape's defiling touch: And do you like the human race? No, not much.
Aldous HuxleyRead
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