The imagination imitates. It is the critical spirit that creates.

The imagination imitates. It is the critical spirit that creates.

It seems safe to say that significant discovery, really creative thinking, does not occur with regard to problems about which read more

It seems safe to say that significant discovery, really creative thinking, does not occur with regard to problems about which the thinker is lukewarm.

Because of their courage, their lack of fear, they (creative people) are willing to make silly mistakes. The truly creative read more

Because of their courage, their lack of fear, they (creative people) are willing to make silly mistakes. The truly creative person is one who can think crazy; such a person knows full well that many of his great ideas will prove to be worthless. The creative person is flexible -- he is able to change as the situation changes, to break habits, to face indecision and changes in conditions without undue stress. He is not threatened by the unexpected as rigid, inflexible people are.

There are no days in life so memorable as those which vibrated to some stroke of the imagination.

There are no days in life so memorable as those which vibrated to some stroke of the imagination.

Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but the making something out of it after it is found.

Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but the making something out of it after it is found.

Had I been present at the creation of the world I would have proposed some improvements.

Had I been present at the creation of the world I would have proposed some improvements.

The creative person wants to be a know -it -all. He wants to know about all kinds of things: ancient read more

The creative person wants to be a know -it -all. He wants to know about all kinds of things: ancient history, nineteenth -century mathematics, current manufacturing techniques, flower arranging, and hog futures. Because he never knows when these ideas might come together to form a new idea. It may happen six minutes later or six months, or six years down the road. But he has faith that it will happen.

Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than the arguments of its opposers.

Truth often suffers more by the heat of its defenders than the arguments of its opposers.

We try not to have ideas, preferring accidents. To create, you must empty yourself of every artistic thought.

We try not to have ideas, preferring accidents. To create, you must empty yourself of every artistic thought.