--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I take my ideas from my experiences." description: "\"I take my ideas from my experiences.\" — Chris Van Allsburg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/chris-van-allsburg-8945_experiences_i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences-2829_2829460.jpg" --- # I take my ideas from my experiences. ![“I take my ideas from my experiences.” quote by Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/chris-van-allsburg-8945_experiences_i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences-2829_2829460.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/chris-van-allsburg-8945_experiences_i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences-2829_2829460.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/chris-van-allsburg-8945_experiences_i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences-2829_2829460.jpg) > “I take my ideas from my experiences.” [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Personal experiences serve as the raw material for creative ideas. **In simple terms:** Ideas stem from lived experiences. Key Takeaway Use your life as creative fuel. Themes creativity experience inspiration Mood thoughtful inspired Type creative reflective When to use this quote - writing - artistic projects - problem solving Key Concepts storytelling imagination Questions to Reflect On - Which experience most shaped your current work? - How can you transform mundane events into compelling ideas? A Different Perspective Experience alone may not guarantee originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ## Related quotes > [It did occur to me that certainly African-Americans are not underserved in picture books, but those books are almost all about specifically black experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/it-did-occur-to-me-that-certainly-african-americans-are-not/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [We have the philosophy that you can learn from past experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodri/we-have-the-philosophy-that-you-can-learn-from-past-experiences/) [Rodri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodri/) > [“The art of being wise is the art of knowing that solutions don’t come from individuals, but rather experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-art-of-being-wise-is-the-art-of-knowing-that-solutions-don-t-come/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [I feel really lucky that I somehow have blagged my way into loads of different experiences. I find making a film fascinating, I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-flynn/i-feel-really-lucky-that-i-somehow-have-blagged-my-way-into-loads-of/) [Johnny Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-flynn/) > [In my own case, I'm an artist, and I'm really interested in expanding the vocabulary of human action, and basically empowering people through interactivity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golan-levin/in-my-own-case-i-m-an-artist-and-i-m-really-interested-in-expanding/) [Golan Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golan-levin/) > [“I’m just happy to have experienced life; to have had a beautiful son and to have loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/i-m-just-happy-to-have-experienced-life-to-have-had-a-beautiful-son/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [New experiences give you new perspectives on life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hunt/new-experiences-give-you-new-perspectives-on-life/) [Sam Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hunt/) > [London's where I grew up and had most of my experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/london-s-where-i-grew-up-and-had-most-of-my-experiences/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [I've gotten to go to far-off places in the world, have very unique, isolated, intense experiences for four or five months at a time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-gotten-to-go-to-far-off-places-in-the-world-have-very-unique/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [From my experience, I don't have the luxury to trust anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sirivi/from-my-experience-i-don-t-have-the-luxury-to-trust-anyone/) Sirivi > [Some jobs you do, they're just jobs. Others are life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/some-jobs-you-do-they-re-just-jobs-others-are-life-experiences/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [I've had difficult experiences and obviously there's been the birth of my son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-ve-had-difficult-experiences-and-obviously-there-s-been-the-birth/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [It isn't necessary to seek out adventure. Opening to what is around you will produce the most extraordinary experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-b-lewis/it-isn-t-necessary-to-seek-out-adventure-opening-to-what-is-around/) Edward B. Lewis > [“The experiences of camp life show that man does have a choice of action… There were enough examples, often of a heroic nature, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/the-experiences-of-camp-life-show-that-man-does-have-a-choice-of/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) ## More by Chris Van Allsburg > [My ideas are not meant to suggest dreams or reality, but a surreal quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/my-ideas-are-not-meant-to-suggest-dreams-or-reality-but-a-surreal/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > ['The Polar Express' began with the idea of a train standing alone in the woods. I asked myself, 'What if a boy gets on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-polar-express-began-with-the-idea-of-a-train-standing-alone-in/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [“Book lovers love books!" her mother announced. "There's romance about the books- even having them seems to have a kind of excitement." from Mr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/book-lovers-love-books-her-mother-announced-there-s-romance-about-the/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [Following my muse has worked out pretty well so far. I can't see any reason to change the formula now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/following-my-muse-has-worked-out-pretty-well-so-far-i-can-t-see-any/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [People have asked me a lot, 'What comes first? The pictures or the story? The story or the picture?' It's hard to describe because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/people-have-asked-me-a-lot-what-comes-first-the-pictures-or-the-story/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [I don't like to travel. Yet all my books seem to involve a journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-don-t-like-to-travel-yet-all-my-books-seem-to-involve-a-journey/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [“The bell still rings for all who truly believe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-bell-still-rings-for-all-who-truly-believe/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [Some people may contend that there is no image more charming that a child holding a puppy or kitten. But for me that's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/some-people-may-contend-that-there-is-no-image-more-charming-that-a/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [I write for what's left of the eight-year-old still rattling around inside my head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-write-for-what-s-left-of-the-eight-year-old-still-rattling-around/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [In the same way that a mundane object can have a personality somehow, I try to suggest that a mundane setting can have some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/in-the-same-way-that-a-mundane-object-can-have-a-personality-somehow/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [Even the most complicated stories start with a very simple premise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/even-the-most-complicated-stories-start-with-a-very-simple-premise/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [Peter Rabbit's not a rabbit. Peter Rabbit is a proxy for the child who reads the book, and they imagine themselves in the rabbit's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/peter-rabbit-s-not-a-rabbit-peter-rabbit-is-a-proxy-for-the-child-who/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [Brainstorming, for me, takes place in my bed at night between the time I turn out my lights and I finally fall asleep. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/brainstorming-for-me-takes-place-in-my-bed-at-night-between-the-time/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [The inclination to believe in the fantastic may strike some as a failure in logic, or gullibility, but it’s really a gift. A world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-inclination-to-believe-in-the-fantastic-may-strike-some-as-a/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [The whole idea of being mesmerized and not in control of your own actions is fascinating and a little spooky. I remember hearing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-whole-idea-of-being-mesmerized-and-not-in-control-of-your-own/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) [Explore all 76 Chris Van Allsburg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) ## More Experiences quotes > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [“The experiences of camp life show that man does have a choice of action… There were enough examples, often of a heroic nature, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/the-experiences-of-camp-life-show-that-man-does-have-a-choice-of/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [It isn't necessary to seek out adventure. Opening to what is around you will produce the most extraordinary experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-b-lewis/it-isn-t-necessary-to-seek-out-adventure-opening-to-what-is-around/) Edward B. Lewis > [I've had difficult experiences and obviously there's been the birth of my son.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ward-prowse/i-ve-had-difficult-experiences-and-obviously-there-s-been-the-birth/) [James Ward-Prowse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ward-prowse/) > [Some jobs you do, they're just jobs. Others are life experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-strong/some-jobs-you-do-they-re-just-jobs-others-are-life-experiences/) [Mark Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-strong/) > [From my experience, I don't have the luxury to trust anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sirivi/from-my-experience-i-don-t-have-the-luxury-to-trust-anyone/) Sirivi > [I've gotten to go to far-off places in the world, have very unique, isolated, intense experiences for four or five months at a time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/i-ve-gotten-to-go-to-far-off-places-in-the-world-have-very-unique/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [London's where I grew up and had most of my experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzee-rascal/london-s-where-i-grew-up-and-had-most-of-my-experiences/) [Dizzee Rascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzee-rascal/) > [New experiences give you new perspectives on life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-hunt/new-experiences-give-you-new-perspectives-on-life/) [Sam Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-hunt/) > [“I’m just happy to have experienced life; to have had a beautiful son and to have loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-b-powell/i-m-just-happy-to-have-experienced-life-to-have-had-a-beautiful-son/) [Aaron B. Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-b-powell/) > [In my own case, I'm an artist, and I'm really interested in expanding the vocabulary of human action, and basically empowering people through interactivity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golan-levin/in-my-own-case-i-m-an-artist-and-i-m-really-interested-in-expanding/) [Golan Levin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golan-levin/) > [I feel really lucky that I somehow have blagged my way into loads of different experiences. I find making a film fascinating, I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-flynn/i-feel-really-lucky-that-i-somehow-have-blagged-my-way-into-loads-of/) [Johnny Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-flynn/) > [“The art of being wise is the art of knowing that solutions don’t come from individuals, but rather experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-art-of-being-wise-is-the-art-of-knowing-that-solutions-don-t-come/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [We have the philosophy that you can learn from past experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodri/we-have-the-philosophy-that-you-can-learn-from-past-experiences/) [Rodri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodri/) > [“When we observe how some people know how to manage their experiences--their insignificant, everyday experiences--so that they become an arable soil that bears fruit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/when-we-observe-how-some-people-know-how-to-manage-their-experiences/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Browse all 1,156 Experiences quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experiences/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I take my ideas from my experiences.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Van Allsburg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experiences" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/chris-van-allsburg-8945_experiences_i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences-2829_2829460.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/chris-van-allsburg-8945_experiences_i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences-2829_2829460.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/chris-van-allsburg-8945_experiences_i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences-2829_2829460.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I take my ideas from my experiences.” — Chris Van Allsburg", "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 Van Allsburg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I take my ideas from my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/i-take-my-ideas-from-my-experiences/#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 } } ] } ```