Know what you are about

“If you don’t know who you are or what you’re about or what you believe in it’s really pretty impossible to be creative.”

Rainn Wilson

(Thank you Liz)

6 Comments leave a comment below

  1. I don’t agree with this statement at all.
    There are many artist around the world that made great art because of their ambivalent feeling and not knowing all of those things.

  2. I also disagree with it. Most artists are searchers and experimenters, not the decided ones. Knowing and believing, in my opinion, is even bad for creativity if you know what I mean.

  3. I completely disagree, and actually find this line of thinking to be totally counter to the entire creative process.

  4. Swissmiss, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. There’s no one path to anything and different strokes for different folks of course–I’m an oldie and tend to go with whatever gets you through the night–but his words cheered me and helped me take a small step toward a big change. In my experience really shaking things up happens less frequently as one ages, so I appreciate the reminder of how very useful a change can be.

  5. ?!Brilliance?!? I could NOT disagree with this quote more!- I am suprised you concur? Do you? Seriously?

    The process of self discovery -the journey of getting to know who you are is a common element in all creatives.
    Presuming you know all the answers only blocks the opportunities to learn new ones. This quote is complete bollocks! It is the very process of recognition and invention that is the most creative of all projects. It keeps ideas fresh & progressive, ambitious and pioneering,radical and innovative. I would say its pretty impossible to be creative if you presume you know with certainty what you are all about. This presumption is dangerous and only causes devaluation, judgement and dismissal of those things/ideas that do not fall within the parameters of “what you are about”.

    The quote should read: The first step in being creative is honesty. Realizing that you dont know who you are, what you are about, or what you believe in. Let that realization excite and drive you to discover newness and value in all things.

    Sounds like someone in a marketing dept who commutes with nikes over her stockings came up with this on her subway ride to work. Sorry but it is nonsense.