I have had work or ideas come through me from a source that I honestly cannot identify. What is that thing? And how are we to relate to it in a way that will not make us lose our minds, but, in fact, might actually keep us sane?

Source: "Your Elusive Creative Genius." TED2009. Feb. 2009. Conference Presentation. Additional Information: This quote is from a 2009 TED Talk given by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love. The quote means that the source of creative work, i.e., art, is illusive and mysterious; Gilbert asks what this source is and how artists can channel it while maintaining their sanity. Gilbert explains in her Talk that the creative life comes with certain emotional risks, and the creation of brilliant creative works is commonly associated with debilitating mental illness and addiction. Gilbert challenges the popular association between art and suffering and presents a new way to think about the creative life. Watch the full TED Talk here: Elizabeth Gilbert - Your Elusive, Creative Genius

“Your Elusive Creative Genius.” TED2009. Feb. 2009. Conference Presentation.