Good luck Quote by J. G. Ballard
““A lifetime's experience urges me to utter a warning cry: do anything else, take someone's golden retriever for a walk, run away with a saxophone player. Perhaps what's wrong with being a writer is that one can't even say 'good luck'--luck plays no part in the writing of a novel. No happy accidents as with the paint pot or chisel. I don't think you can say anything, really. I've always wanted to juggle and ride a unicycle, but I dare say if I ever asked the advice of an acrobat he would say, 'All you do is get on and start pedaling'.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Crash by J. G. Ballard, 1973
The author reflects on the futility of wishing luck in creative work, emphasizing that success depends on action, not chance, and that artistic accidents are rare.
In simple terms: Luck doesn’t help writing; effort does.
Key Takeaway
Take action instead of hoping for luck.
Themes
creativity
effort
chance
artistic process
Mood
reflective
determined
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing a novel
- starting a new project
- learning a skill
- overcoming self-doubt
Key Concepts
existentialism
authorial anxiety
creative discipline
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you rely on luck or action?
- How can you create your own “happy accidents”?
A Different Perspective
Even with effort, external factors can still hinder success.
![“To write with taste, in the highest sense, is to write [...] so that no one commits suicide, no one despairs; to write [...] so that people understand, sympathize, see the universality of pain, and feel strengthened, if not directly encouraged to live on. If there is good to be said, the writer…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d4a/anonymous-1_art_to-write-with-taste-in-the-highest-sense_568887.jpg)
![“[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only time will tell. For example...] The Talmud relates a story about two people who wanted to travel by boat. One broke his foot and was unable to make the trip, while his friend got on…” quote by Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/68d/zelig-pliskin-22951_anticipation_it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and_34545.jpg)
