--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're having difficulty coming up…" description: "\"If you're having difficulty coming up with new ideas, then slow down. For me, slowing down has been a tremendous source of creativity. It has allowed m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/natalie-goldberg-1741_art_if-you-re-having-difficulty-coming-up-wi_1253782.png" --- # If you're having difficulty coming up with new ideas, then… ![“If you're having difficulty coming up with new ideas, then slow down. For me, slowing down has been a tremendous source of creativity. It has allowed me to open up -- to know that there's life under the earth and that I have to let it come through me in a new way. Creativity exists in the present…” quote by Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/natalie-goldberg-1741_art_if-you-re-having-difficulty-coming-up-wi_1253782.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/natalie-goldberg-1741_art_if-you-re-having-difficulty-coming-up-wi_1253782.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a4e/natalie-goldberg-1741_art_if-you-re-having-difficulty-coming-up-wi_1253782.png) > “If you're having difficulty coming up with new ideas, then slow down. For me, slowing down has been a tremendous source of creativity. It has allowed me to open up -- to know that there's life under the earth and that I have to let it come through me in a new way. Creativity exists in the present moment. You can't find it anywhere else.” [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Slowing down opens awareness to present‑moment creativity, allowing ideas to surface naturally. **In simple terms:** Take it slow to find new ideas. Key Takeaway Pause and observe. Themes creativity mindfulness process Mood thoughtful encouraging Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - writing - painting - problem solving - brainstorming - meditation Key Concepts flow presence inner voice Questions to Reflect On - When have you felt rush hinders ideas? - How can you balance speed and stillness? A Different Perspective Too much pause can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Present moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-moment/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The harder you chase something, the faster you go and the less you're able to let life meet life. If you're having difficulty coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/the-harder-you-chase-something-the-faster-you-go-and-the-less-you-re/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Creativity exists in the present moment. You can't find it anywhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/creativity-exists-in-the-present-moment-you-can-t-find-it-anywhere/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [There are fast ideas and slow ideas, just as there are fast trains and slow trains. 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If we can answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angeles-arrien/the-field-of-creativity-that-exists-within-each-individual-is-freed/) [Angeles Arrien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angeles-arrien/) > [I always imagined I would have a life very different from the one that was imagined for me, but I understood from a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonor-fini/i-always-imagined-i-would-have-a-life-very-different-from-the-one/) [Leonor Fini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonor-fini/) > [I'm a firm believer in slowing down to improve my state of mind when I'm training, and yoga and meditation have been paramount to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-beard/i-m-a-firm-believer-in-slowing-down-to-improve-my-state-of-mind-when/) [Amanda Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-beard/) > [If there is time to reflect, slowing down is likely to be a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/if-there-is-time-to-reflect-slowing-down-is-likely-to-be-a-good-idea/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Old age is an ordeal, of flesh and mind. Of winding down, of slowing down, of dying cells. It's accepting the loss of physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/old-age-is-an-ordeal-of-flesh-and-mind-of-winding-down-of-slowing/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [When you're hungry for success, don't let anyone feed you crap about slowing down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-forleo/when-you-re-hungry-for-success-don-t-let-anyone-feed-you-crap-about/) [Marie Forleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-forleo/) > [I started playing jazz by slowing down Tal Farlow records and analyzing his runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-breau/i-started-playing-jazz-by-slowing-down-tal-farlow-records-and/) Lenny Breau > [Age is a slowing down of everything except fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/age-is-a-slowing-down-of-everything-except-fear/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [When things seem to be slowing down, there's this little trick I like to play. I'd plow this virgin who's on her period, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-things-seem-to-be-slowing-down-there-s-this-little-trick-i-like/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Even if I don't want to slow down, I'm slowing down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-wallach/even-if-i-don-t-want-to-slow-down-i-m-slowing-down/) [Eli Wallach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-wallach/) ## More by Natalie Goldberg > [“We heard about people who go back to their roots. That is good, but don't get stuck in the root. There is the branch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/we-heard-about-people-who-go-back-to-their-roots-that-is-good-but-don/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Over and over, we have to go back to the beginning. We should not be ashamed of this. It is good. 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I have been astonished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/in-the-past-few-years-i-ve-assigned-books-to-be-read-before-a-student/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [“When you draw and pay attention to what is, it's a form of being present. This inspires the mind, makes it happy, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/when-you-draw-and-pay-attention-to-what-is-it-s-a-form-of-being/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Poetry is a dumb Buddha who thinks a donkey is as important as a diamond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/poetry-is-a-dumb-buddha-who-thinks-a-donkey-is-as-important-as-a/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I told all kinds of stories about going to Japan, about playing ball with my father... I wanted to record my life in case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/i-told-all-kinds-of-stories-about-going-to-japan-about-playing-ball/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [“No matter what a person does to cover up and conceal themselves, when we write and lose control, I can spot a person from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/no-matter-what-a-person-does-to-cover-up-and-conceal-themselves-when/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [To stay close and intimate with experience is to stay close to the mind; the nitty gritty mind of the way things really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/to-stay-close-and-intimate-with-experience-is-to-stay-close-to-the/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I read Eve Ensler and thought it was fabulous. 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Sometimes your creative energy is like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/if-you-feel-bored-or-uncomfortable-as-you-re-writing-ask-yourself/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) [Explore all 212 Natalie Goldberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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