Skip to content

Failure Quote by Colum McCann

“What happened then was that, for an instant, almost nothing happened. He wasn't even there. Failure didn't even cross his mind. It felt like a sort of floating. He could have been in the meadow. His body loosened and took on the shape of the wind. The play of the shoulder could instruct the ankle…” quote by Colum McCann
Download Open image
““What happened then was that, for an instant, almost nothing happened. He wasn't even there. Failure didn't even cross his mind. It felt like a sort of floating. He could have been in the meadow. His body loosened and took on the shape of the wind. The play of the shoulder could instruct the ankle. His throat could soothe his heel and moisten the ligaments at his ankle. A touch of the tongue against the teeth could relax the thigh. His elbow could brother his knee. If he tightened his neck he could feel it correcting in his hip. At his center he never moved. He thought of his stomach as a bowl of water. If he got it wrong, the bowl would right itself. He felt for the curve of the cable with the arch and then sole of his foot. A second step and a third. He went out beyond the first guy lines, all of him in synch. Within seconds he was pureness moving, and he could do anything he liked. He was inside and outside his body at the same time, indulging in what it meant to belong to the air, no future, no past, and this gave him the offhand vaunt to his walk. He was carrying his life from one side to the other. On the lookout for the moment when he wasn't even aware of his breath. The core reason for it all was beauty. Walking was a divine delight. Everything was rewritten when he was up in the air. New things were possible with the human form. It went beyond equilibrium. He felt for a moment uncreated. Another kind of awake.””

Colum McCann

About This Quote

Source Novel: Unknown Title, author unknown

The passage describes a transcendent state where the body and mind merge with movement, achieving effortless flow, unity, and a sense of boundless possibility through physical expression.

In simple terms: He reaches a state of pure, effortless movement.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate flow in activity.

Themes

movement mindfulness embodiment flow beauty

Mood

reflective inspired

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

  • dance
  • sports
  • meditation
  • creative work

Key Concepts

psychology embodiment aesthetic experience

Questions to Reflect On

  • When do you feel most in sync with your body?
  • How can you bring more fluidity to daily tasks?
A Different Perspective

Maintaining such a state may be fleeting and requires practice.

2.9 out of 5 (5 ratings)

More by Colum McCann

Explore all 333 Colum McCann quotes

More Failure quotes

Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes