--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An inability to choose is a hallmark of…" description: "\"An inability to choose is a hallmark of anxiety... The too-anxious artist, afraid to choose, will halt dead in the water.\" — Eric Maisel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5c/eric-maisel-3062_anxiety_an-inability-to-choose-is-a-hallmark-of_179903.png" --- # An inability to choose is a hallmark of anxiety... The… ![“An inability to choose is a hallmark of anxiety... The too-anxious artist, afraid to choose, will halt dead in the water.” quote by Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5c/eric-maisel-3062_anxiety_an-inability-to-choose-is-a-hallmark-of_179903.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5c/eric-maisel-3062_anxiety_an-inability-to-choose-is-a-hallmark-of_179903.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5c/eric-maisel-3062_anxiety_an-inability-to-choose-is-a-hallmark-of_179903.png) > “An inability to choose is a hallmark of anxiety... The too-anxious artist, afraid to choose, will halt dead in the water.” [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Anxious artists freeze by avoiding choices, leading to creative paralysis. **In simple terms:** Fear of choosing stops creative progress. Key Takeaway Practice decisive action to overcome artistic anxiety. Themes creativity anxiety decision‑making Mood thoughtful encouraging Type inspirational self‑help When to use this quote - writing - painting - design - performance - project planning Key Concepts psychology artistic process Questions to Reflect On - How can you build confidence in choices? - What small decisions can you start with? A Different Perspective Indecision can also stem from lack of skill, not just anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-choose-1928426/) [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious/) [Anxious Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxious-artist-1928425/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artist Afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist-afraid-1928427/) [Hallmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hallmark/) [Halt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/halt/) [Inability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inability/) [Inability Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inability-choose-1928428/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [“An artist who maintains that he has been misunderstood is almost always a bad artist who, I’m afraid to say, has been understood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesb/an-artist-who-maintains-that-he-has-been-misunderstood-is-almost/) [Jo Nesbø](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesb/) > [While I hope that people like my work, I don't think an artist should be afraid of ­people not liking his work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/badshah/while-i-hope-that-people-like-my-work-i-don-t-think-an-artist-should/) [Badshah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/badshah/) > [I was never shielded from the realities of what it meant to be an artist and that made me afraid to be an artist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lister-jones/i-was-never-shielded-from-the-realities-of-what-it-meant-to-be-an/) [Zoe Lister-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lister-jones/) > [Just because you think the path that's right for you might be lonelier, longer or less destined for traditional success than paths taken by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beau-biden/just-because-you-think-the-path-that-s-right-for-you-might-be/) [Beau Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beau-biden/) > [Always look for common ground, but don't ever be afraid to choose sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-deklin/always-look-for-common-ground-but-don-t-ever-be-afraid-to-choose-sides/) [Mark Deklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-deklin/) > [An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langston-hughes/an-artist-must-be-free-to-choose-what-he-does-certainly-but-he-must/) [Langston Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langston-hughes/) > [“Sometimes people are just sh\*tty. 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Travel should not be hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/beauty-pleasure-freedom-and-plenty-of-sleep-these-are-the-hallmarks/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More by Eric Maisel > [Affirmations need to be used if they are to become incorporated into the fabric of your being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/affirmations-need-to-be-used-if-they-are-to-become-incorporated-into/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [The wise artist makes peace with the fact that he will understand less than he had anticipated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/the-wise-artist-makes-peace-with-the-fact-that-he-will-understand/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [Creativity requires introspection, self-examination, and a willingness to take risks. 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That is the human way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/the-artist-is-a-god-but-he-is-also-an-idiot-that-is-the-human-way/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [It goes against an artist's grain to retire. But whether he retires or not, he will age... 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Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An inability to choose is a hallmark of anxiety... 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