Creation is a drug I can’t do without.
—Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959) American Film Producer, Director
Creativity and love come from the same source.
—Laurens van der Post (1906–96) South African-born British Leader, Educator, Author
We know where most of the creativeity, the innovation, the stuff that drives productivity lies—in the minds of those closest to the work. It’s been there in front of our noses all along while we’ve been running around chasing robots and reading books on how to become Japanese—or at least manage like them.
—Jack Welch (1935–2020) American Businessperson
The road less traveled made all the difference.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
When Alexander the Great visited Diogenes and asked whether he could do anything for the famed teacher, Diogenes replied, “Only stand out of my light.” Perhaps some day we shall know how to heighten creativity. Until then, one of the best things we can do for creative men and women is to stand out of their light.
—John W. Gardner (1912–2002) American Activist
The whole difference between construction and creation is this; that a thing constructed can only be loved after it is constructed; but a thing created is loved before it exists.
—Charles Dickens (1812–70) English Novelist
If your daily life seems poor, do not blame it; blame yourself, tell yourself that you are not a poet enough to call forth its riches; for to the creator there is no poverty and no poor indifferent place.
—Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian Poet
The best way to predict the future is to create it.
—Peter Drucker (1909–2005) Austrian-born Management Consultant
The process of writing, any form of creativity, is a power intensifying life.
—Rita Mae Brown (b.1944) American Writer, Feminist
The creative process involves getting input, making a recommendation, getting critical review, getting more input, improving the recommendation, getting more critical review… again and again and again.
—Indian Proverb
What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
It is important to do what you don’t know how to do. It is important to see your skills as keeping you from learning what is deepest and most mysterious. If you know how to focus, unfocus. If your tendency is to make sense out of chaos, start chaos.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
When we are writing, or painting, or composing, we are, during the time of creativity, freed from normal restrictions, and are opened to a wider world, where colors are brighter, sounds clearer, and people more wondrously complex than we normally realize.
—Madeleine L’Engle (1918–2007) American Author
One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries.
—A. A. Milne (1882–1956) British Humorist, Playwright, Children’s Writer
Even the best writer has to erase sometimes.
—Spanish Proverb
Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system.
—Bruce Lee (1940–73) American Martial Artist, Actor, Philosopher
A line will take us hours maybe; Yet if it does not seem a moment’s thought, our stitching and unstinting has been naught.
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) Irish Poet, Dramatist
The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct acting from inner necessity. The creative mind plays with the objects it loves.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Water will wears away rock. (Be flexible)
—Chinese Proverb
Yes, of course [this age] is materialistic, but the only way to counteract it is to create spiritual things. Don’t worry yourself about the materialism too much. Create and stir other people to create!
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Things do not change, we change.
—Kalidasa Indian Sanskrit Poet, Dramatist
I have asked a lot of my emotions—one hundred and twenty stories. The price was high, right up with Kipling, because there was one little drop of something, not blood, not a tear, not my seed, but me more intimately than these, in every story, it was the extra I had. Now it has gone and I am just like you now.
—Unknown
Most people die before they are fully born. Creativeness means to be born before one dies.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
—Scott Adams (b.1957) American Cartoonist
The writer may very well serve a movement of history as its mouthpiece, but he cannot of course create it.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
Smart is an elusive concept. There’s a certain sharpness, an ability to absorb new facts. To ask an insightful question. To relate to domains that may not seem connected at first. A certain creativity that allows people to be effective.
—Bill Gates (b.1955) American Businessperson, Entrepreneur, Author, Philanthropist
It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action, that man finds his supreme joys.
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900–44) French Novelist, Aviator
All the things that truly matter—beauty, love, creativity, joy, inner peace—arise from beyond the mind.
—Eckhart Tolle (b.1948) German Spiritual Teacher, Writer, Public Speaker
Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocre minds. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
Cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music. And cooking draws upon your every talent—science, mathematics, energy, history, experience—and the more experience you have, the less likely are your experiments to end in drivel and disaster. The more you know, the more you can create.
—Julia Child (1912–2004) American Cook, Author
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