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.

This passage is widely circulated as Martha Graham’s advice to younger artists about creative responsibility and the dangers of self-censorship. It is commonly linked to her teaching and mentoring ethos in the mid‑20th century, when Graham—already a defining figure in modern dance—emphasized discipline, individuality, and the necessity of making work despite doubt. The quote is often presented as something Graham said in conversation or instruction rather than as a line from a choreographic program note. In many modern quotation compilations it appears as a standalone excerpt, suggesting it was transmitted through secondary sources and later popularized as a motivational statement for artists.

Graham frames creativity as an impersonal “life force” that seeks expression through a particular person at a particular moment. The artist’s uniqueness is not merely stylistic; it is existential—no one else can transmit that exact configuration of energy into the world. The warning against “blocking” it speaks to fear, perfectionism, conformity, and self-censorship: refusing to act does not preserve the work for later, but can erase it entirely. The quote also implies an ethic of practice: inspiration must be translated into action, and the artist’s duty is fidelity to the impulse rather than anxious comparison with others.