---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greatest source of inspiration is…"
description: "\"The greatest source of inspiration is hard work. Of course, I also believe in inspiration itself, but sometimes you have to provoke it, call on it repe..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/joaquin-rodrigo-64390_believe_the-greatest-source-of-inspiration-is-ha_2022883.png"
---

#  The greatest source of inspiration is hard work. Of…

![“The greatest source of inspiration is hard work. Of course, I also believe in inspiration itself, but sometimes you have to provoke it, call on it repeatedly, even though it may take a while. There are times when I feel uninspired and I don't want to compose. I call these my 'bewitched' periods. I…” quote by Joaquin Rodrigo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/joaquin-rodrigo-64390_believe_the-greatest-source-of-inspiration-is-ha_2022883.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/joaquin-rodrigo-64390_believe_the-greatest-source-of-inspiration-is-ha_2022883.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/265/joaquin-rodrigo-64390_believe_the-greatest-source-of-inspiration-is-ha_2022883.png)

> “The greatest source of inspiration is hard work. Of course, I also believe in inspiration itself, but sometimes you have to provoke it, call on it repeatedly, even though it may take a while. There are times when I feel uninspired and I don't want to compose. I call these my 'bewitched' periods. I have to be touched with a magic wand.”

[Joaquin Rodrigo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-rodrigo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Hard work is the primary catalyst for inspiration; deliberate effort can summon creative spark when it feels absent.

**In simple terms:** Hard work sparks inspiration.

Key Takeaway

Work deliberately to spark creativity.

Themes

creativity discipline motivation

Mood

frustrated hopeful determined

Type

motivational reflective inspirational

When to use this quote

- artist facing block
- writer's slump
- project kickoff
- team brainstorming

Key Concepts

self‑efficacy flow intrinsic motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you structure work to invite inspiration?
- What rituals help you break 'bewitched' periods?

A Different Perspective

Inspiration also depends on external factors, not just effort.

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> [There are times when I feel uninspired and I don't want to compose. I call these my 'bewitched' periods. I have to be touched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-rodrigo/there-are-times-when-i-feel-uninspired-and-i-don-t-want-to-compose-i/)

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> [Looking out on the morning rain. I used to feel uninspired and when I knew I had to face another day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aretha-franklin/looking-out-on-the-morning-rain-i-used-to-feel-uninspired-and-when-i/)

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> [Usually, when I get hit with inspiration hard - I don't know, maybe it's impulsive - but I'm the type of person where I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/da-vine-joy-randolph/usually-when-i-get-hit-with-inspiration-hard-i-don-t-know-maybe-it-s/)

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> [Writing music is not so much inspiration as hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gershwin/writing-music-is-not-so-much-inspiration-as-hard-work/)

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> [Well mostly in song writing my experience is that there isn't so much inspiration as hard work. You sit there for hours, days and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-rn-ulvaeus/well-mostly-in-song-writing-my-experience-is-that-there-isn-t-so-much/)

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> [“See beyond the eyes can see, believe beyond the inspiration!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-y-siauw/see-beyond-the-eyes-can-see-believe-beyond-the-inspiration/)

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> [I believe in a higher power. I believe in inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-believe-in-a-higher-power-i-believe-in-inspiration/)

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> [Though involvement in music and the arts can't cure all the ills of society, I do believe that the inspiration they provide has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andris-nelsons/though-involvement-in-music-and-the-arts-can-t-cure-all-the-ills-of/)

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[Guillermo Cabrera Infante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-cabrera-infante/)

> [I don't believe in inspiration that arrives like a bolt from the blue ... It seems to me that the more motivated I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-don-t-believe-in-inspiration-that-arrives-like-a-bolt-from-the-blue/)

[Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/)

> [“If you are reading this, you will get what you want. Believe in yourself and that's inspiration.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandan-sharma/if-you-are-reading-this-you-will-get-what-you-want-believe-in/)

[Chandan Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandan-sharma/)

> [There are three means of believing--by inspiration, by reason, and by custom. Christianity, which is the only rational institution, does yet admit none for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-are-three-means-of-believing-by-inspiration-by-reason-and-by/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

## More by Joaquin Rodrigo

> [Claude Debussy defined the guitar as an expressive harpsicord. I believe that is the best definition ever given of the Spanish guitar. This phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-rodrigo/claude-debussy-defined-the-guitar-as-an-expressive-harpsicord-i/)

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> [There are times when I feel uninspired and I don't want to compose. I call these my 'bewitched' periods. I have to be touched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-rodrigo/there-are-times-when-i-feel-uninspired-and-i-don-t-want-to-compose-i/)

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> [Blindness enhanced my spiritual life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-rodrigo/blindness-enhanced-my-spiritual-life/)

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