Creativity Quotes for 2023
2023 is almost over, and many people take time to reflect upon the year. It was one of chaos and uncertainty, however, creativity keeps me going. More importantly, creativity can be whatever you want. Whether it’s making art, cooking, finding a new path in the woods, writing, acting, or singing – creativity remains an independent, singular notion.
One of my favorite thinkers and writers is Gretchen Rubin. After reading her book The Happiness Project, I began listening to her podcast. Gretchen recently released the Muse Machine, a deck of 150 cards with creative prompts to consult whenever you feel blocked. These indirect directions are short, suggestive, and open-ended, so that they ignite unexpected insights.
One of my favorite workbooks is The Steal Like an Artist Journal (a notebook for creative kleptomaniacs) by Austin Kleon. This book is a daily course in creativity: a portable workshop and coursebook, jammed full of inspiration, prompts, quotes, and exercises.
If you’re stuck on a project and need a little help getting to the next step, try one of Rebel Road Creative’s free Creativity Camp resources.
For more inspiration, think about one of these quotes on creativity:
“Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use – do the work you want to see done.”
― Austin Kleon
“There’s room for everybody on the planet to be creative and conscious if you are your own person. If you’re trying to be like somebody else, then there isn’t.” – Tori Amos
“Creativity comes from a conflict of ideas.” – Donatella Versace
“I think we’re creative all day long. We have to have an appointment to have that work out on the page. Because the creative part of us gets tired of waiting, or just gets tired.” – Mary Oliver
“A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.” – Frank Capra
“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath
“Art is theft.” – Pablo Picasso
“Everyone who’s ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it who makes a difference.” – Nolan Bushnell
“Mystery is at the heart of creativity. That, and surprise.” – Julia Cameron
“Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is the result of good work habits.” – Twyla Tharp
“You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it.” – Robin Williams
“Creativity is not magic. Creativity is for everyone.” – Austin Kleon
“Creativity is just connecting things.” – Steve Jobs
“All creative people want to do the unexpected.” – Hedy Lamarr
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.” – Scott Adams
“What is now proved was once only imagined.” – William Blake
“The most creative people are motivated by the grandest of problems that are presented before them.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson
“For us, creativity means thinking about the lives of our audience and how to connect with them.” – Anna Wintour
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” ― Pablo Picasso
“Around here, however, we don't look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we're curious...and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” ― Walt Disney Company
“The chief enemy of creativity is good sense.” ― Pablo Picasso
“There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost.” ― Martha Graham
“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” ― Maya Angelou
“life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one” ― Stella Adler
“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” ― Ernest Hemingway
“People who do a job that claims to be creative have to be alone to recharge their batteries. You can’t live 24 hours a day in the spotlight and remain creative. For people like me, solitude is a victory.” ― Karl Lagerfeld
“Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten. Then when you hit puberty, they take the crayons away and replace them with dry, uninspiring books on algebra, history, etc. Being suddenly hit years later with the 'creative bug' is just a wee voice telling you, 'I'd like my crayons back, please.” ― Hugh MacLeod
“If you ever find that you're the most talented person in the room, you need to find another room.”
― Austin Kleon
“There’s a temptation in our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat. That’s crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions. You run into someone, you ask what they’re doing, you say ‘wow,’ and soon you’re cooking up all sorts of ideas.”
― Steve Jobs
“The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.” ― Geoffrey Chaucer
“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” ― Madonna
“We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.” ― Ray Bradbury
“Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” ― Andy Warhol
“Keeping busy" is the remedy for all the ills in America. It's also the means by which the creative impulse is destroyed.” ― Joyce Carol Oates
“Maybe it’s just in America, but it seems that if you’re passionate about something, it freaks people out. You’re considered bizarre or eccentric. To me, it just means you know who you are.” ― Tim Burton
Elizabeth Tuico owns Rebel Road Creative, a marketing and content consultancy based in Washington, D.C.