Like one of his heroes, Tom Waits, whenever Yorke feels like his songwriting is getting too comfortable or stale, he’ll pick up an instrument he does… - Austin Kleon

This is yet another trait of amateurs — they’ll use whatever tools they can get their hands on to try to get their ideas into the world.

I’m an artist, man,” said John Lennon. “Give me a tuba, and I’ll get you something out of it.

Paul McCartney has said, “I emulated Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis. We all did.

Don’t talk to people you don’t want to talk to, and don’t talk about stuff you don’t want to talk about.

If you try to devour the history of your discipline all at once, you'll choke. Instead, chew on one thinker, writer, artist, activist, role model you really love. Study everything there is to know about that thinker, then find three people that thinker loved and find out everything about them. Repeat this as many times as you can. Climb up the tree as far as you can go. Once you climb your own tree, it's time to grow your own branch.