--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any kind of creative activity is likely…" description: "\"Any kind of creative activity is likely to be stressful. The more anxiety, the more you feel that you are headed in the right direction. Easiness, rela..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/joyce-carol-oates-344_accompany_any-kind-of-creative-activity-is-likely_2728038.png" --- # Any kind of creative activity is likely to be stressful… ![“Any kind of creative activity is likely to be stressful. The more anxiety, the more you feel that you are headed in the right direction. Easiness, relaxation, comfort - these are not conditions that usually accompany serious work.” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/joyce-carol-oates-344_accompany_any-kind-of-creative-activity-is-likely_2728038.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/joyce-carol-oates-344_accompany_any-kind-of-creative-activity-is-likely_2728038.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/82d/joyce-carol-oates-344_accompany_any-kind-of-creative-activity-is-likely_2728038.png) > “Any kind of creative activity is likely to be stressful. The more anxiety, the more you feel that you are headed in the right direction. Easiness, relaxation, comfort - these are not conditions that usually accompany serious work.” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative work often brings stress; anxiety can signal deep engagement, while ease may indicate lack of challenge. **In simple terms:** Stress can mean meaningful work. Key Takeaway Embrace productive discomfort. Themes creativity stress engagement Mood reflective serious Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - writing - art projects - design work Key Concepts psychology of art flow state Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance stress and wellbeing? - When is ease a sign of stagnation? A Different Perspective Stress can become harmful if unmanaged. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfort/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-act/) [Easiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easiness/) [Relaxation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relaxation/) [Right direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-direction/) ## Related quotes > [Every culture, if its natural development is not too much affected by political restrictions, experiences a perpetual renewal of the formative urge, and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/every-culture-if-its-natural-development-is-not-too-much-affected-by/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [To have the sense of creative activity is the great happiness and the great proof of being alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/to-have-the-sense-of-creative-activity-is-the-great-happiness-and-the/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/creative-activity-could-be-described-as-a-type-of-learning-process/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [Once you have selected a sport or a creative activity, the rules are pretty much the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-toomey/once-you-have-selected-a-sport-or-a-creative-activity-the-rules-are/) [Bill Toomey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-toomey/) > [Woman can best refind herself by losing herself in some kind of creative activity of her own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/woman-can-best-refind-herself-by-losing-herself-in-some-kind-of/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [All creative activity begins with movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-c-zinker/all-creative-activity-begins-with-movement/) [Joseph C Zinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-c-zinker/) > [The truth is that creative activity is one that involves the entire self - our emotions, our levels of energy, our characters, and our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-truth-is-that-creative-activity-is-one-that-involves-the-entire/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [The ultimate aim of all creative activity is the building!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gropius/the-ultimate-aim-of-all-creative-activity-is-the-building/) [Walter Gropius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gropius/) > [Creative activity is one of the few self rewarding activities. Being creative is like being in love!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodie-flowers/creative-activity-is-one-of-the-few-self-rewarding-activities-being/) Woodie Flowers > [Reading is also a creative activity if you're doing it right. You can learn more from a story that's left the tracks than from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dufresne/reading-is-also-a-creative-activity-if-you-re-doing-it-right-you-can/) [John Dufresne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dufresne/) > [Happiness is a continuous creative activity of imaginatively comparing your experiences to things that aren't as good and thereby feeling happy and grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-amte/happiness-is-a-continuous-creative-activity-of-imaginatively/) [Baba Amte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-amte/) > [Seeks to grow and improve oneself through creative activity, freely expressing one’s exuberant vitality, and through warm, supportive encouragement of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-arroyo/seeks-to-grow-and-improve-oneself-through-creative-activity-freely/) [Stephen Arroyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-arroyo/) > [Happiness is a continuous creative activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-amte/happiness-is-a-continuous-creative-activity/) [Baba Amte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-amte/) > [London centre has a wealth of creative activity but there are parts of London where there isn't a cinema or where library provision is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munira-mirza/london-centre-has-a-wealth-of-creative-activity-but-there-are-parts/) [Munira Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munira-mirza/) > [I set out to show that there exists single creative activity,which is displayed alike in the arts and in the sciences.It is wrong to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/i-set-out-to-show-that-there-exists-single-creative-activity-which-is/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. Any idiot can be happy in a happy place, but moral courage is required to be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-challenge-is-to-resist-circumstances-any-idiot-can-be-happy-in-a/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Did you know, Marianne: how by breaking the code that day, you broke it forever? For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists-really-i-think-that-when-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Accompany quotes > [One must accept the fact that we have only one companion in this world, a companion who accompanies us from the cradle to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/one-must-accept-the-fact-that-we-have-only-one-companion-in-this/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [We may... affirm that the balance of power in a society accompanies the balance of property in land. The only possible way, then, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/we-may-affirm-that-the-balance-of-power-in-a-society-accompanies-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [Satire must always accompany any free society. It is an absolute necessity. Even in the most repressive medieval kingdoms, they understood the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-randazzo/satire-must-always-accompany-any-free-society-it-is-an-absolute/) Joe Randazzo > [But down the bagagge, take of the blinders, and see for yourself that this very place is the valley of the endless spring, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daido-loori/but-down-the-bagagge-take-of-the-blinders-and-see-for-yourself-that/) [John Daido Loori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daido-loori/) > [It is not God's way that great blessings should descend without the sacrifice first of great sufferings. If the truth is to be spread…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henry-newman/it-is-not-god-s-way-that-great-blessings-should-descend-without-the/) [John Henry Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henry-newman/) > [In transmitting the dharma, there is neither explanation nor teaching; there is neighter hearing nor attainment. Since explanations never really explains, nor are they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daido-loori/in-transmitting-the-dharma-there-is-neither-explanation-nor-teaching/) [John Daido Loori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daido-loori/) > [Lead the ideas of your time and they will accompany and support you; fall behind them and they drag you along with them; oppose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/lead-the-ideas-of-your-time-and-they-will-accompany-and-support-you/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [Freedom is based on the anarch’s awareness that he can kill himself. He carries this awareness around; it accompanies him like a shadow that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-junger/freedom-is-based-on-the-anarch-s-awareness-that-he-can-kill-himself/) [Ernst Junger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-junger/) > [There is an unmistakable freedom that accompanies contentment: a freedom to be who you are, enjoy who you are, and live the life you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-becker/there-is-an-unmistakable-freedom-that-accompanies-contentment-a/) [Josh Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-becker/) > [The greatest grossness sometimes accompanies the greatest refinement, as a natural relief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/the-greatest-grossness-sometimes-accompanies-the-greatest-refinement/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Those who choose, conduct, present, and accompany the music may influence the spirit of reverence ... more than a speaker does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/those-who-choose-conduct-present-and-accompany-the-music-may/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [“Loneliness why do you accompany me if I wish to be alone?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alexandre-ribeiro-branco/loneliness-why-do-you-accompany-me-if-i-wish-to-be-alone/) [Luis Alexandre Ribeiro Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alexandre-ribeiro-branco/) > [Most of my books are set in the American Midwest, where I have always lived. Midwesterners are lovely, down-to-earth people. 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