--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Inspiration is not something that gives…" description: "\"“Inspiration is not something that gives you permission to begin your work; inspiration is the reward you get after you start working.”\" — Chris Erzfeld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/chris-erzfeld-27671_art-work_inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives_1050719.jpg" --- # Inspiration is not something that gives you permission to… ![“Inspiration is not something that gives you permission to begin your work; inspiration is the reward you get after you start working.” quote by Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/chris-erzfeld-27671_art-work_inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives_1050719.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/chris-erzfeld-27671_art-work_inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives_1050719.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/chris-erzfeld-27671_art-work_inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives_1050719.jpg) > ““Inspiration is not something that gives you permission to begin your work; inspiration is the reward you get after you start working.”” [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Inspiration doesn’t grant permission to start; it rewards the act of beginning work. **In simple terms:** Inspiration follows action, not precedes it. Key Takeaway Start working, then inspiration will follow. Themes creativity motivation productivity Mood determined optimistic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - writing projects - artistic endeavors - business startups Key Concepts intrinsic reward action bias Questions to Reflect On - What small step can you take now? - How does effort change your feeling of inspiration? A Different Perspective Relying on inspiration alone can cause procrastination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-work/) [Begin Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-work-292505/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Inspiration Gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration-gives-1624141/) [Inspiration Reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration-reward-1660678/) [Inspirational quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational-quotes/) [Motivational quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational-quotes/) [Start Working](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-working/) [Work Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-inspiration-227019/) ## Related quotes > [“For you to reach a state of creative enlightenment, you must wage war on yourself, and start working. Only then will inspiration reward you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/for-you-to-reach-a-state-of-creative-enlightenment-you-must-wage-war/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [In a certain way working in animation has become very democratic because now anyone with the right technology can at least prepare a project…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-garcia/in-a-certain-way-working-in-animation-has-become-very-democratic/) [Raul Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-garcia/) > [When I started, I had a really hard time getting work. It was the mid- to late-nineties. There was the WB. My age was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-zea/when-i-started-i-had-a-really-hard-time-getting-work-it-was-the-mid/) [Natalie Zea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-zea/) > [In school, you get a limited view of the world. Start working. Find your passion. Take your time doing that. Once you've found what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mansueto/in-school-you-get-a-limited-view-of-the-world-start-working-find-your/) [Joe Mansueto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mansueto/) > [“Aim to discover your purpose in life, so that you can start working toward its manifestation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denesha-sheree/aim-to-discover-your-purpose-in-life-so-that-you-can-start-working/) [Denesha Sheree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denesha-sheree/) > [“Stop living to work or and start working to give.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-liano/stop-living-to-work-or-and-start-working-to-give/) [Rob Liano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-liano/) > [I don't really have a process. I just start working and keep going until it's done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-crow/i-don-t-really-have-a-process-i-just-start-working-and-keep-going/) [Rob Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-crow/) > [I travel around the world and can set anywhere and start working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snow-tha-product/i-travel-around-the-world-and-can-set-anywhere-and-start-working/) [Snow Tha Product](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snow-tha-product/) > [I moved to New York to be a theater actor. It's what I studied and what I thought I wanted to do forever, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-beatriz/i-moved-to-new-york-to-be-a-theater-actor-it-s-what-i-studied-and/) [Stephanie Beatriz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-beatriz/) > [I think any time you're at the end of a trip you're usually pretty ready to come home and start working regularly again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-think-any-time-you-re-at-the-end-of-a-trip-you-re-usually-pretty/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [Stop waiting for what you want, and start working what you have. This can turn your greatest frustration into your greatest potential innovation. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/stop-waiting-for-what-you-want-and-start-working-what-you-have-this/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) > [I would roll out of bed and immediately start working, and keep working until it was so late at night that I couldn't stay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-azerrad/i-would-roll-out-of-bed-and-immediately-start-working-and-keep/) [Michael Azerrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-azerrad/) > [When I stop working, I go out and start working again. Most people paint a picture, or whatever they do, and go home. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bailey/when-i-stop-working-i-go-out-and-start-working-again-most-people/) [David Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bailey/) > [That's what I like: to kind of get up and start working right away in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramin-djawadi/that-s-what-i-like-to-kind-of-get-up-and-start-working-right-away-in/) [Ramin Djawadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramin-djawadi/) > [When you first start working for me, directly for me, I micromanage until I trust you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/when-you-first-start-working-for-me-directly-for-me-i-micromanage/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) ## More by Chris Erzfeld > [“Don’t stay because you fear what will happen if you leave. Your mind is constantly playing tricks on you. Standing up for yourself will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/don-t-stay-because-you-fear-what-will-happen-if-you-leave-your-mind/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“It is easy to opt out and follow the stream down the river and end up stranded without knowing how you got there or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/it-is-easy-to-opt-out-and-follow-the-stream-down-the-river-and-end-up/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“If we can stand fast while the waves of criticism crash around us, we can transcend their expectations and the way they underestimate our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/if-we-can-stand-fast-while-the-waves-of-criticism-crash-around-us-we/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“If you find yourself stuck at a job that is slowly strangling your soul from the inside out, and you feel a burning desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/if-you-find-yourself-stuck-at-a-job-that-is-slowly-strangling-your/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“One of the greatest dangers for us creators is that we are impatiently waiting for inspiration to strike before we begin our work. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/one-of-the-greatest-dangers-for-us-creators-is-that-we-are/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“The arguments today will be a memory tomorrow, but our work will stand the test of time when we trust ourselves enough to act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/the-arguments-today-will-be-a-memory-tomorrow-but-our-work-will-stand/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“If you can plan ahead into the future, you will also be able to detach yourself from minor difficulties today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/if-you-can-plan-ahead-into-the-future-you-will-also-be-able-to-detach/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“For you to reach a state of creative enlightenment, you must wage war on yourself, and start working. Only then will inspiration reward you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/for-you-to-reach-a-state-of-creative-enlightenment-you-must-wage-war/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“You must learn how to separate a detrimental situation from which you must burn all the bridges from when you must partake in hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/you-must-learn-how-to-separate-a-detrimental-situation-from-which-you/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“We do not let our ego plan a counter-attack when people underestimate our creative abilities, we speak through our work instead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/we-do-not-let-our-ego-plan-a-counter-attack-when-people-underestimate/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“Mentally prepare your escape, and make a run for it as soon as you see the exit. Never let fear and your naivete discourage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/mentally-prepare-your-escape-and-make-a-run-for-it-as-soon-as-you-see/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“You must be hard on yourself and know when it’s time to quit, but you must be even more relentless when it comes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/you-must-be-hard-on-yourself-and-know-when-it-s-time-to-quit-but-you/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“People’s judgments, criticisms and power games won’t hit you as hard when your plan is greater than the assault.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/people-s-judgments-criticisms-and-power-games-won-t-hit-you-as-hard/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“Trust your inner judgment. Be prepared to work for what you know is right, but avoid the insufferable tragedies of running with the infectious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/trust-your-inner-judgment-be-prepared-to-work-for-what-you-know-is/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) > [“Always maintain a steady eye on what you know is yours for the taking, and plot with all the energy you can muster to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/always-maintain-a-steady-eye-on-what-you-know-is-yours-for-the-taking/) [Chris Erzfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) [Explore all 20 Chris Erzfeld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/) ## More Art work quotes > [I get pretty focused when I start working on something. And I drink a lot of water, way more than most people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-woodman/i-get-pretty-focused-when-i-start-working-on-something-and-i-drink-a/) [Nick Woodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-woodman/) > [“Recluses won’t find purpose living out their days in a sacred bubble. Partake in commerce, start working out, volunteer, go on a mission. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-demarco/recluses-won-t-find-purpose-living-out-their-days-in-a-sacred-bubble/) [M.J. DeMarco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-demarco/) > [Society takes what it wants. The artist himself does not count, because there is no actual existence for the work of art. The work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/society-takes-what-it-wants-the-artist-himself-does-not-count-because/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/) [Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/) > [Smart Work + Hard Work = Genius!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manish-pandey/smart-work-hard-work-genius/) [Manish Pandey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manish-pandey/) > [When art works travel from place to place, what you have is the opportunity to engage with the intellect of another person who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/when-art-works-travel-from-place-to-place-what-you-have-is-the/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [“monotony kills the heart. Ironically, monotony is what keeps the heart working.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soumeet-lanka/monotony-kills-the-heart-ironically-monotony-is-what-keeps-the-heart/) [soumeet lanka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soumeet-lanka/) > [But I think you have to - whatever the environment looks like, it does enter into people's art work one way or another; it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-judd/but-i-think-you-have-to-whatever-the-environment-looks-like-it-does/) [Donald Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-judd/) > [The longest break I have taken in my life was 14 days. On the 15th day, I started getting impatient to start work again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/the-longest-break-i-have-taken-in-my-life-was-14-days-on-the-15th-day/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) > [Whenever you start working on something, you have to go about it with the underlying assumption that this puzzle has a solution, right? If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyan-slat/whenever-you-start-working-on-something-you-have-to-go-about-it-with/) [Boyan Slat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyan-slat/) > [When you first start working for me, directly for me, I micromanage until I trust you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/when-you-first-start-working-for-me-directly-for-me-i-micromanage/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [We are not being true to the artist as a man if we consider his art work junk simply because we differ with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-not-being-true-to-the-artist-as-a-man-if-we-consider-his-art/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That's what I like: to kind of get up and start working right away in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramin-djawadi/that-s-what-i-like-to-kind-of-get-up-and-start-working-right-away-in/) [Ramin Djawadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramin-djawadi/) > [The JCPOA is working - preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. It's time for the Republicans to start working, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-schakowsky/the-jcpoa-is-working-preventing-iran-from-developing-a-nuclear-weapon/) [Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-schakowsky/) > [I went to London to do the stuff. I was like "What am I going to do? What's going to happen?" But then once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/i-went-to-london-to-do-the-stuff-i-was-like-what-am-i-going-to-do/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) [Browse all 484 Art work quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-work/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Inspiration is not something that gives you permission to begin your work; inspiration is the reward you get after you start working.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Erzfeld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives-you-permission-to-begin-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art work" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives-you-permission-to-begin-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/chris-erzfeld-27671_art-work_inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives_1050719.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/chris-erzfeld-27671_art-work_inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives_1050719.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/chris-erzfeld-27671_art-work_inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives_1050719.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Inspiration is not something that gives you permission to begin your work; inspiration is the reward you get…” — Chris Erzfeld", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chris Erzfeld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-erzfeld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Inspiration is not something that gives...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives-you-permission-to-begin-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-erzfeld/inspiration-is-not-something-that-gives-you-permission-to-begin-your/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```