Care Quote by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
“In the creative process, my ego has always been a huge tyrant ... a dictator and kind of rude and very misleading, because sometimes when I'm doing something, I say, "This is great! This is fantastic! Very genius!" And 20 minutes later, I feel like a dead jellyfish. "You are a stupid a**hole. This is a piece of sh*t. Nobody will care about it."”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Creative Process, Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2015
The ego can amplify praise and then harshly criticize, creating emotional volatility that hinders consistent creativity.
In simple terms: Ego swings between praise and self‑criticism, disrupting work.
Key Takeaway
Recognize ego’s voice and separate it from true assessment.
Themes
creativity
ego
self‑criticism
emotional regulation
Mood
frustrated
hopeful
reflective
Type
advice
self‑help
artistic
When to use this quote
- writing
- film directing
- personal journaling
- creative brainstorming
Key Concepts
psychology
self‑awareness
artistic process
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you pause the ego’s negative self‑talk?
- What practices keep you grounded during creative highs?
A Different Perspective
Ego’s harsh judgments can become entrenched, leading to paralysis.
![“How can [actors] learn their lines and be honest in front of 30 people and all the lights? It makes me cry sometimes. I can't understand how they can be joking with me 30 seconds before, and 40 seconds later they're giving me all this incredible feeling.” quote by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b2/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu-12_actors_how-can-actors-learn-their-lines-and-be_48733.jpg)
