The Artist's Way: 25th Anniversary Edition

Anger is not the action itself. It is action’s invitation.

Choose companions who encourage me to do the work, not just talk about doing the work or why I am not doing the work. Remember that the Great Creator loves creativity. Remember that it is my job to do the work, not judge the work.

Remember that it is far harder and more painful to be a blocked artist than it is to do the work.

RULES OF THE ROAD In order to be an artist, I must: Show up at the page. Use the page to rest, to dream, to try.

We still feel too much like frauds to handle some success. When it comes, we want to go.

One of the things most worth noting in a creative recovery is our reluctance to take seriously the possibility that the universe just might be cooperating with our new and expanded plans.

We have our doubts about all of this creator/creativity stuff, and those doubts are very powerful. Unless we air them, they can sabotage us.

Just as a recovering alcoholic must avoid the first drink, the recovering artist must avoid taking the first think. For us, that think is really self-doubt:

Each of them must be dissolved. For example, a blurt that runs, “I, Fred, am untalented and phony” might be converted to the affirmation “I, Fred, am genuinely talented.” Use your affirmations after your morning pages.