--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The inconsistency of genius is a…" description: "\"The inconsistency of genius is a consistent theme of creativity.\" — Jonah Lehrer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jonah-lehrer-9286_consistency_the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consist_2431599.png" --- # The inconsistency of genius is a consistent theme of… ![“The inconsistency of genius is a consistent theme of creativity.” quote by Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jonah-lehrer-9286_consistency_the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consist_2431599.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jonah-lehrer-9286_consistency_the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consist_2431599.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jonah-lehrer-9286_consistency_the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consist_2431599.png) > “The inconsistency of genius is a consistent theme of creativity.” [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Genius is marked by irregular output; inconsistency is a hallmark of creative work. **In simple terms:** Creativity is naturally uneven. Key Takeaway Embrace the ebb and flow of ideas. Themes creativity genius inconsistency Mood inspirational realistic Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artistic projects - research - entrepreneurship Key Concepts psychology of innovation creative cycles Questions to Reflect On - How do you sustain motivation during low periods? - What strategies help you harness inconsistency? A Different Perspective Inconsistency may be misread as lack of effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consistency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistency/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Inconsistency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inconsistency/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) ## Related quotes > [When you look at what I've done here, you see a consistent theme of reforms which is not driven by any dogma from across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hain/when-you-look-at-what-i-ve-done-here-you-see-a-consistent-theme-of/) [Peter Hain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hain/) > [Genius seems to consistent merely in trueness of sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/genius-seems-to-consistent-merely-in-trueness-of-sight/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A inconsistent person is still consistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heritier-ndele/a-inconsistent-person-is-still-consistent/) [Heritier Ndele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heritier-ndele/) > [Only when you give up being consistent will you find the truth! Inconsistency makes you free to discover other roads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/only-when-you-give-up-being-consistent-will-you-find-the-truth/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The plain truth is that the only consistent theme in advertising is the absence of any consistent theme.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-william-of-hesse-kassel/the-plain-truth-is-that-the-only-consistent-theme-in-advertising-is/) Prince William of Hesse-Kassel > [The impulsivity of M. B. S. has been a consistent theme - from the war in Yemen to the wave of arrests of constructive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-khashoggi/the-impulsivity-of-m-b-s-has-been-a-consistent-theme-from-the-war-in/) [Jamal Khashoggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-khashoggi/) > [Inconsistency is the bugbear of fools! I wouldn't give a damn for a fellow who couldn't change his mind with a change of conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fisher-1st-baron-fisher/inconsistency-is-the-bugbear-of-fools-i-wouldn-t-give-a-damn-for-a/) John Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher > [There are those who would misteach us that to stick in a rut is consistency - and a virtue, and that to climb out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-are-those-who-would-misteach-us-that-to-stick-in-a-rut-is/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [But pure wit is akin to Puritanism; to the perfect and painful consciousness of the final fact in the universe. Very briefly, the man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/but-pure-wit-is-akin-to-puritanism-to-the-perfect-and-painful/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Nothing that is not a real crime makes a man appear so contemptible and little in the eyes of the world as inconsistency, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/nothing-that-is-not-a-real-crime-makes-a-man-appear-so-contemptible/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [There are inconsistencies in Donald Trump's ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-remnick/there-are-inconsistencies-in-donald-trump-s-ideology/) [David Remnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-remnick/) > [“Having, then, once introduced an element of inconsistency into his system, he was far too consistent not to be inconsistent consistently, and he lapsed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/having-then-once-introduced-an-element-of-inconsistency-into-his/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [Inconsistencies cannot both be right; but, imputed to man, they may both be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/inconsistencies-cannot-both-be-right-but-imputed-to-man-they-may-both/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Inconsistency on the part of pastors and the faithful between what they say and what they do, between word and manner of life, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/inconsistency-on-the-part-of-pastors-and-the-faithful-between-what/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The important thing is that when you get into some stretches of inconsistency that we don't overreact on the one hand and try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/the-important-thing-is-that-when-you-get-into-some-stretches-of/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) ## More by Jonah Lehrer > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“When the mind is denied the emotional sting of losing , it never figures out how to win.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/when-the-mind-is-denied-the-emotional-sting-of-losing-it-never/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Insights, after all, come from the overlap between seemingly unrelated thoughts. They emerge when concepts are transposed, when the rules of one place are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/insights-after-all-come-from-the-overlap-between-seemingly-unrelated/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Every brilliant experiment, like every great work of art, starts with an act of imagination. Unfortunately, our current culture subscribes to a very narrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/every-brilliant-experiment-like-every-great-work-of-art-starts-with/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“You break out of the box by stepping into shackles. From Imagine: How Creativity Works pg 23 (hardcover)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/you-break-out-of-the-box-by-stepping-into-shackles-from-imagine-how/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [So let's not pretend that travel is always fun. We don't spend 10 hours lost in the Louvre because we like it, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/so-let-s-not-pretend-that-travel-is-always-fun-we-don-t-spend-10/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“In fact, most of us see perseverance as a distinctly uncreative approach, the sort of strategy that people with mediocre ideas are forced to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/in-fact-most-of-us-see-perseverance-as-a-distinctly-uncreative/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Grit is the stubborn refusal to quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/grit-is-the-stubborn-refusal-to-quit/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Even when alternative views are clearly wrong, being exposed to them still expands our creative potential. In a way, the power of dissent is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/even-when-alternative-views-are-clearly-wrong-being-exposed-to-them/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Cities force us to interact with strangers and with the strange. They pry the mind open. And that is why they are the idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/cities-force-us-to-interact-with-strangers-and-with-the-strange-they/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Distance and difference are the secret tonic of creativity. When we get home, home is still the same. But something in our mind has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/distance-and-difference-are-the-secret-tonic-of-creativity-when-we/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [In fact, the only way to remain creative over time--to not be undone by our expertise--is to experiment with ignorance, to stare at things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/in-fact-the-only-way-to-remain-creative-over-time-to-not-be-undone-by/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [“Science has discovered that, like any work of literature, the human genome is a text in need of commentary, for what Eliot said of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/science-has-discovered-that-like-any-work-of-literature-the-human/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [...new ideas are merely several old thoughts that occur at the exact same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/new-ideas-are-merely-several-old-thoughts-that-occur-at-the-exact/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Like a work of art, we exceed our materials. Science needs art to frame the mystery, but art needs science so that not everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/like-a-work-of-art-we-exceed-our-materials-science-needs-art-to-frame/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) [Explore all 74 Jonah Lehrer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) ## More Consistency quotes > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [One things guys have to remember is consistency... You can't make up for three years of eating poorly in just one workout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/one-things-guys-have-to-remember-is-consistency-you-can-t-make-up-for/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [I give you everything you want as an artist, for so long. Consistency. Wordplay. Wittiness. You can check the checklist. Only thing I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/i-give-you-everything-you-want-as-an-artist-for-so-long-consistency/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [I have always wanted to learn the piano, but because I travel so much, I can never get any consistency of lessons. So everywhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/i-have-always-wanted-to-learn-the-piano-but-because-i-travel-so-much/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [There's always, I guess, a philosophy that if you come in, you want to change all the parts, you want to change everything over.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-gillick/there-s-always-i-guess-a-philosophy-that-if-you-come-in-you-want-to/) [Pat Gillick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-gillick/) > [But change must always be balanced with some degree of consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-d-burton/but-change-must-always-be-balanced-with-some-degree-of-consistency/) [Ron D. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-d-burton/) > [“Strong trust is built brick by brick, through honesty, consistency, and showing up even when it’s hard to keep the promise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayoub-imilouane/strong-trust-is-built-brick-by-brick-through-honesty-consistency-and/) [Ayoub Imilouane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayoub-imilouane/) > [I like the consistency of a TV show, but I like it for three months out of my year, not nine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-mack/i-like-the-consistency-of-a-tv-show-but-i-like-it-for-three-months/) [Allison Mack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-mack/) > [The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-superpowers-often-behave-like-two-heavily-armed-blind-men-feeling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So, whenever you find yourself putting forth great effort without success, you're trying to force something that won't fit under the circumstances. That's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-vigorito/so-whenever-you-find-yourself-putting-forth-great-effort-without/) [Tony Vigorito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-vigorito/) > [To me, style is consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/to-me-style-is-consistency/) Adam Ant > [About 120 million of us place the big bang 2,500 years after the Babylonians and Sumerians learned to brew beer. If our polls are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/about-120-million-of-us-place-the-big-bang-2-500-years-after-the/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [I've learned over the years that when it comes to success, consistency is key. Consistent hard work that we may not like doing today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/i-ve-learned-over-the-years-that-when-it-comes-to-success-consistency/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Consistency of performance is essential. You don't have to be exceptional every week but as a minimum you need to be at a level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-dyche/consistency-of-performance-is-essential-you-don-t-have-to-be/) [Sean Dyche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-dyche/) [Browse all 866 Consistency quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistency/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The inconsistency of genius is a consistent theme of creativity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jonah Lehrer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consistent-theme-of-creativity/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Consistency" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consistent-theme-of-creativity/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jonah-lehrer-9286_consistency_the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consist_2431599.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jonah-lehrer-9286_consistency_the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consist_2431599.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e0/jonah-lehrer-9286_consistency_the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consist_2431599.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The inconsistency of genius is a consistent theme of creativity.” — Jonah Lehrer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jonah Lehrer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The inconsistency of genius is a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consistent-theme-of-creativity/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/the-inconsistency-of-genius-is-a-consistent-theme-of-creativity/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```