Quotes about inspiration
48 quotes from 44 people
José Martí1853–1895Martí: Thoughts/Pensamientos (1994)
Vladimir Nabokov1899–1977Look at the Harlequins! (1974).I tell you: one must still have chaos in one, to give birth to a dancing star.
Friedrich Nietzsche1844–1900Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883–1885), First Part, Zarathustra’s PrologueIn contextWhen you make a world tolerable for yourself, you make a world tolerable for others.
Anaïs Nin1903–1977February 1954 The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 5 as quoted in Woman as Writer (1978) by Jeannette L. Webber and Joan Grumman, p. 38- MOMary Oliver1935–2019House of Light (1990), “The Ponds”
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis1929–1994Written on a card for an exhibit which travelled around the US when the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston was first opening (1979), quoted in Respectfully Quoted: A Dictionary of Quotations (1989) edited by Suzy PlattWas it worthwhile?
Everything is worthwhile
if the soul is not small.
Fernando Pessoa1888–1935Mensagem (1934), “Mar Português”
J. K. Rowlingborn 1965Online tweet, in response to an extremely depressed person contemplating suicide, as quoted in “J.K. Rowling Sends Beautiful Message to Fan Who Wants to ‘Finally Give Up’” by Alex Ungerman ET Online (5 May 2015)- J. K. Rowlingborn 1965Harvard address (2008)
Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it, we go nowhere.
Carl Sagan1934–1996Cosmos (1980), p. 4Great men hallow a whole people and lift up all who live in their time.
Sydney Smith1771–1845“Ireland”, published in The Edinburgh Review (1820)Keep your fears to yourself, but share your inspiration with others.
