Rick Rubin Quotes

The word comes from the Latin — inspirare, meaning to breathe in or blow into. For the lungs to draw in air, they must first be emptied. For the mind to draw inspiration, it wants space to welcome the new. The universe seeks balance. Through this absence, you are inviting energy in.

it’s music you’re listening to, consider closing your eyes. You may find yourself getting lost in the experience. When the piece ends, you might be surprised by where you find yourself. You’ve been transported to another place. The place where the music lives.

First, do no harm.

Perfection is finally obtained not when there is no longer anything to add, but when there’s no longer anything to take away.

It’s worth noting the distinction between doubting the work and doubting yourself. An example of doubting the work would be, “I don’t know if my song is as good as it can be.” Doubting yourself might sound like, “I can’t write a good song.

It is simply the light our prism emits naturally at this moment in time.

The things we believe carry a charge regardless of whether they can be proven or not.

Intention is all there is. The work is just a reminder. Rules A rule is any guiding principle or creative criterion.

The only practice that matters is the one you consistently do, not the practice of any other artist. Find your most generative method, apply it, and then let it go when it is no longer of use. There is no wrong way to make art.

The best work is the work you are excited about.

Rarely if ever do we know the grand intention, yet if we surrender to the creative impulse, our singular piece of the puzzle takes its proper shape.

For the most part, the educational system doesn’t ask us to access our sensitivity, but to be obedient. To do what is expected. Our natural independent spirit is tamed. Free thought is constrained. There is a set of rules and expectations put upon us that is not about exploring who we are or what we’re capable of. The system is not here for our benefit. It holds us back as individuals to support its own continued existence.

If a beautiful thought or phrase comes to mind, or if you see a beautiful sunset, one’s not better than the other. Both are equally beautiful in different ways. It’s helpful to consider there are always more options available to us than we might realize.

With the overwhelming amount of information available to us, we are more reliant than ever on categorization, labeling, and shortcuts.

Any framework, method, or label you impose on yourself is just as likely to be a limitation as an opening.