--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The frightening and most difficult thing…" description: "\"The frightening and most difficult thing about being what somebody calls a creative person is that you have absolutely no idea where any of your though..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/hal-riney-77417_creative_the-frightening-and-most-difficult-thing_637737.png" --- # The frightening and most difficult thing about being what… ![“The frightening and most difficult thing about being what somebody calls a creative person is that you have absolutely no idea where any of your thoughts come from, really. And especially, you don't have any idea about where they're going to come from tomorrow.” quote by Hal Riney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/hal-riney-77417_creative_the-frightening-and-most-difficult-thing_637737.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/hal-riney-77417_creative_the-frightening-and-most-difficult-thing_637737.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97a/hal-riney-77417_creative_the-frightening-and-most-difficult-thing_637737.png) > “The frightening and most difficult thing about being what somebody calls a creative person is that you have absolutely no idea where any of your thoughts come from, really. And especially, you don't have any idea about where they're going to come from tomorrow.” Hal Riney ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative minds often feel their ideas emerge spontaneously, making future inspiration unpredictable and unsettling. **In simple terms:** Creativity feels mysterious and unpredictable. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty and trust the process. Themes creativity uncertainty self‑doubt innovation Mood reflective inquisitive Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - writing - advertising - artistic projects - problem solving Key Concepts psychology of inspiration creative flow mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you capture fleeting ideas? - What routines help you stay open to new thoughts? A Different Perspective Even with uncertainty, disciplined practice can generate ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-person/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Difficult things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-things/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) ## Related quotes > [Great thoughts always come from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/great-thoughts-always-come-from-the-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When we come to deal with an institution of His, we dare never expect to fathom or test it by our poor, short-sighted and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-gerberding/when-we-come-to-deal-with-an-institution-of-his-we-dare-never-expect/) [G.H. Gerberding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-gerberding/) > [“The best way to let go is to notice the thoughts as they come up and to acknowledge them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-joko-beck/the-best-way-to-let-go-is-to-notice-the-thoughts-as-they-come-up-and/) [Charlotte Joko Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-joko-beck/) > [“Thoughts come back; beliefs persist; facts pass by never to return.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/thoughts-come-back-beliefs-persist-facts-pass-by-never-to-return/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It's hard to know where your thoughts come from, especially when you have a thirst for material because you need it professionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k/it-s-hard-to-know-where-your-thoughts-come-from-especially-when-you/) [Louis C. K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k/) > [Thoughts may come and persist in staying. But thoughts that are not put into word or action die unborn!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-e-hagin/thoughts-may-come-and-persist-in-staying-but-thoughts-that-are-not/) [Kenneth E. Hagin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-e-hagin/) > [Look sharply after your own thoughts. They come unlooked for, like a new bird seen on your trees, and, if you turn to your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/look-sharply-after-your-own-thoughts-they-come-unlooked-for-like-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I'm always thinking about something new, something cool that we can do to make our fans happy! These thoughts, and efforts to make those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahyun/i-m-always-thinking-about-something-new-something-cool-that-we-can-do/) [Dahyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahyun/) > [When the negative thoughts come - and they will; they come to all of us - it's not enough to just not dwell on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/when-the-negative-thoughts-come-and-they-will-they-come-to-all-of-us/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Beware thoughts that come in the night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-least-heat-moon/beware-thoughts-that-come-in-the-night/) [William Least Heat-Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-least-heat-moon/) > [Thoughts must come naturally, like wild-flowers; they cannot be forced in a hot-bed, even although aided by the leaf-mould of your past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-smith/thoughts-must-come-naturally-like-wild-flowers-they-cannot-be-forced/) [Alexander Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-smith/) > [Between two thoughts try to be alert; look into the interval, the space in between. You will see no mind; that is your nature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/between-two-thoughts-try-to-be-alert-look-into-the-interval-the-space/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Inflowing thoughts come to an end in those who are ever alert of mind, training themselves night and day, and ever intent on nirvana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/inflowing-thoughts-come-to-an-end-in-those-who-are-ever-alert-of-mind/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Silently, like thoughts that come and go, the snowflakes fall, each one a gem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hamilton-gibson/silently-like-thoughts-that-come-and-go-the-snowflakes-fall-each-one/) William Hamilton Gibson > [When thoughts come, you can invite them in but don't serve them tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-weitsman/when-thoughts-come-you-can-invite-them-in-but-don-t-serve-them-tea/) Mel Weitsman ## More by Hal Riney > [I would rather deal with a tyrant any day than a committee. Committees, as a general rule, aren’t willing to take chances, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-riney/i-would-rather-deal-with-a-tyrant-any-day-than-a-committee-committees/) Hal Riney > [Whatever success I've achieved has come from pretty much doing the opposite of what I've been told or expected to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-riney/whatever-success-i-ve-achieved-has-come-from-pretty-much-doing-the/) Hal Riney Explore all 3 Hal Riney quotes ## More Creative quotes > [An artist's creative energy is ephemeral as a flower. It blooms and soon dies. No artist is great forever. Personally, I think I reached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-ki-duk/an-artist-s-creative-energy-is-ephemeral-as-a-flower-it-blooms-and/) [Kim Ki-duk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-ki-duk/) > [When you're being truly creative, time stands still, and you enter a dimension that can carry you beyond the ordinariness of everyday life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-linn/when-you-re-being-truly-creative-time-stands-still-and-you-enter-a/) [Denise Linn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-linn/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Money is only used for two things. One, it's to make you comfortable, and the more comfortable you are the more creative you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/money-is-only-used-for-two-things-one-it-s-to-make-you-comfortable/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I can't let fear kill my creative brain. Fear is the killer. Your bad choices come from fear. And I'm constantly combating fear. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-can-t-let-fear-kill-my-creative-brain-fear-is-the-killer-your-bad/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [The creative strength is good enough and deep enough to bring itself to flower and to grow in spite of this sickness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-greenberg/the-creative-strength-is-good-enough-and-deep-enough-to-bring-itself/) [Joanne Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-greenberg/) > [Anytime I get the chance to sing or work with Michael John, it is such an incredibly fertile and incredibly creative and safe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audra-mcdonald/anytime-i-get-the-chance-to-sing-or-work-with-michael-john-it-is-such/) [Audra McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audra-mcdonald/) > [What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given! He has a tremendous, a fantastic creative urge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/what-sri-chinmoy-does-is-god-given-he-has-a-tremendous-a-fantastic/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [when times are tough, the weak bail and the tough get creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-times-are-tough-the-weak-bail-and-the-tough-get-creative/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [Teasing out the way the world might look through another's eyes is what makes the creative process so fascinating and enjoyable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-l-carter/teasing-out-the-way-the-world-might-look-through-another-s-eyes-is/) [Stephen L. Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-l-carter/) > [The creation lives as genesis beneath the visible surface of the work. All intelligent people see this after the fact, but only the creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-klee/the-creation-lives-as-genesis-beneath-the-visible-surface-of-the-work/) [Paul Klee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-klee/) [Browse all 7,284 Creative quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The frightening and most difficult thing about being what somebody calls a creative person is that you have absolutely no idea where any of your thoughts come from, really. 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