--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a rule that I would never force the…" description: "\"I had a rule that I would never force the muse in my younger days. I would follow the feeling. I would just put the pen down and walk away, and wait fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/dan-mangan-13674_down-and_i-had-a-rule-that-i-would-never-force-th_925477.png" --- # I had a rule that I would never force the muse in my… ![“I had a rule that I would never force the muse in my younger days. I would follow the feeling. I would just put the pen down and walk away, and wait for it to come back. But these days, I have a kid, I tour a lot, and I'm always short on time.” quote by Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/dan-mangan-13674_down-and_i-had-a-rule-that-i-would-never-force-th_925477.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/dan-mangan-13674_down-and_i-had-a-rule-that-i-would-never-force-th_925477.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/456/dan-mangan-13674_down-and_i-had-a-rule-that-i-would-never-force-th_925477.png) > “I had a rule that I would never force the muse in my younger days. I would follow the feeling. I would just put the pen down and walk away, and wait for it to come back. But these days, I have a kid, I tour a lot, and I'm always short on time.” [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work thrives when you honor natural inspiration rather than forcing it; balance is needed when life demands time. **In simple terms:** Follow feeling, avoid forcing creativity. Key Takeaway Respect rhythm, schedule breaks. Themes creativity balance discipline Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - writing - music composition - parenting - touring Key Concepts flow intrinsic motivation time management Questions to Reflect On - How can you schedule creative pauses? - What signals tell you inspiration is returning? A Different Perspective Even with structure, forced effort can still stifle originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Follow Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/follow-feeling-956178/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Force Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force-muse-1465668/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Muse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muse/) [Muse Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muse-younger-1465667/) [Pens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pens/) [These days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/these-days/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Younger days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/younger-days/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes I just don't have time to wait for the muse to come, so I've developed things to force the muse to come back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/sometimes-i-just-don-t-have-time-to-wait-for-the-muse-to-come-so-i-ve/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [Action seems to follow feeling, but really action and feeling go together; and by regulating the action, which is under the more direct control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/action-seems-to-follow-feeling-but-really-action-and-feeling-go-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't follow your feeling. Just follow the word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/don-t-follow-your-feeling-just-follow-the-word/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [Actions seems to follow feeling, but really actions and feeling go together; and by regulating the action, which is under the more direct control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/actions-seems-to-follow-feeling-but-really-actions-and-feeling-go/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [In such doubtful matters, where you have to work as a pioneer, you must be able to put some trust in your intuition and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-such-doubtful-matters-where-you-have-to-work-as-a-pioneer-you-must/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Action seems to follow feeling, but really action and feeling go together; and by regulating the action, which is under the more direct control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/action-seems-to-follow-feeling-but-really-action-and-feeling-go/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [For poetry, he's past his prime, He takes an hour to find a rhyme; His fire is out, his wit decayed, His fancy sunk,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/for-poetry-he-s-past-his-prime-he-takes-an-hour-to-find-a-rhyme-his/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [But words came halting forth, wanting Invention's stay; Invention, Nature's child, fled stepdame Study's blows; And others' feet still seemed but strangers in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sidney/but-words-came-halting-forth-wanting-invention-s-stay-invention/) [Philip Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sidney/) > [Mohammed Ali. He's much more than a boxer. He's also a passionate idealist who fought for his people. I respect him - and, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laila-rouass/mohammed-ali-he-s-much-more-than-a-boxer-he-s-also-a-passionate/) [Laila Rouass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laila-rouass/) > [“Well hello, Miss Josie!” Don Yates stepped stiffly out of the pickup, approaching me with a slightly bow-legged gait. He’d been tall once but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-harmon/well-hello-miss-josie-don-yates-stepped-stiffly-out-of-the-pickup/) [Amy Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-harmon/) > [“Tada references the accusation in Jeremiah that the people have forsaken God as Living Water by remembering a hiking trip from her younger days.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-eareckson-tada/tada-references-the-accusation-in-jeremiah-that-the-people-have/) [Joni Eareckson Tada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-eareckson-tada/) > [“There I am in my younger days, star gazing Painting picture perfect maps Of how my life and love would be Not counting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indigo-girls/there-i-am-in-my-younger-days-star-gazing-painting-picture-perfect/) [Indigo Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indigo-girls/) > [“Though gossip it was, the women did not talk out of malice, but rather, out of habit and nostalgia for their younger days when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/though-gossip-it-was-the-women-did-not-talk-out-of-malice-but-rather/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In his younger days a man dreams of possessing the heart of the woman whom he loves; later, the feeling that he possesses the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/in-his-younger-days-a-man-dreams-of-possessing-the-heart-of-the-woman/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [In my younger days, when I was painted by the half-educated, loose and inaccurate ways women had, I used to say, "How much women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/in-my-younger-days-when-i-was-painted-by-the-half-educated-loose-and/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) ## More by Dan Mangan > [There's when a phrase circles in my head in a number of ways for any number of days, weeks, or months, and then that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/there-s-when-a-phrase-circles-in-my-head-in-a-number-of-ways-for-any/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [When you put a halo on concepts - gender roles, religion, nationality or pride - or you put a halo on any topic -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/when-you-put-a-halo-on-concepts-gender-roles-religion-nationality-or/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [ What frustrated us about the song \[Robots\] was not that it existed - we owe a lot to that song and have had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/what-frustrated-us-about-the-song-robots-was-not-that-it-existed-we/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [If the point of good art is to be somewhat subtle then it's not going to catch everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/if-the-point-of-good-art-is-to-be-somewhat-subtle-then-it-s-not-going/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [You feel the weight of the world and you take things in and you are acting out from a place of being pushed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/you-feel-the-weight-of-the-world-and-you-take-things-in-and-you-are/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [I'm influenced in a million different ways by a million songs that I've heard and digested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/i-m-influenced-in-a-million-different-ways-by-a-million-songs-that-i/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [I remember somebody saying, "I feel really bad for kids growing up around iPads right now. It's just too complicated. Life's too complicated." I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/i-remember-somebody-saying-i-feel-really-bad-for-kids-growing-up/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [More than anything, being an English major made me more appreciative of authors and what an incredible feat it is to just finish a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/more-than-anything-being-an-english-major-made-me-more-appreciative/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [If you make everything really on the nose so everyone knows exactly what you're talking about, it's often not as strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/if-you-make-everything-really-on-the-nose-so-everyone-knows-exactly/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [I think the future and the past are equally hypothetical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/i-think-the-future-and-the-past-are-equally-hypothetical/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [I feel like songwriting changed from something that I liked doing to something that, I feel, is a very important outlet for me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/i-feel-like-songwriting-changed-from-something-that-i-liked-doing-to/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [It's not supposed to make you distracted from your life, it's supposed to make you challenge the ongoing distraction with focused intention. Simply discussing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/it-s-not-supposed-to-make-you-distracted-from-your-life-it-s-supposed/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [We talk about the past like it's the strangest dream. Then we repeat the things we never dreamed we'd do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/we-talk-about-the-past-like-it-s-the-strangest-dream-then-we-repeat/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [The most rewarding possible thing that a songwriter or an artist of any kind can experience is to hear firsthand from the mouth of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/the-most-rewarding-possible-thing-that-a-songwriter-or-an-artist-of/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) > [I grew up with a rotary phone in my house and that seems a world away, but that's what I was used to as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mangan/i-grew-up-with-a-rotary-phone-in-my-house-and-that-seems-a-world-away/) [Dan Mangan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) [Explore all 49 Dan Mangan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mangan/) ## More Down and quotes > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. 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