Setting impossible goals creates enormous fear, which creates procrastination, which we wrongly call laziness.

Do not call the inability to start laziness. Call it fear.

The beginner’s humility and openness lead to exploration. Exploration leads to accomplishment. All of it begins at the beginning, with the first small and scary step.

“I am writing a screenplay” is infinitely more interesting to the soul than “I have written a screenplay,” which pleases the ego. “I am in an acting class” is infinitely more interesting than “I took an acting class a few years ago.”

At the heart of the anorexia of artistic avoidance is the denial of process. We like to focus on having learned a skill or on having made an artwork.

I have learned that the key to career resiliency is self-empowerment and choice.

Surrounding himself with artists and artifacts, he is like the kid with his nose pressed to the candy-store window.

Many artists have never received critical early encouragement. As a result, they may not know they are artists at all.

Think of it as an exercise in open-mindedness. Just think, “Okay, Great Creator, whatever that is,” and keep reading. Allow yourself to experiment with the idea there might be a Great Creator and you might get some kind of use from it in freeing your own creativity.