--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No one has been able to define or…" description: "\"No one has been able to define or synthesize that precarious, splendid, and perhaps untidy instant when the creative process begins. This is what the u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/norman-cousins-2488_able_no-one-has-been-able-to-define-or-synthe_1667770.png" --- # No one has been able to define or synthesize that… ![“No one has been able to define or synthesize that precarious, splendid, and perhaps untidy instant when the creative process begins. This is what the uniqueness of the artist is all about. The transcendent right of the artist is the right to create even though he may not always know what he is…” quote by Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/norman-cousins-2488_able_no-one-has-been-able-to-define-or-synthe_1667770.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/norman-cousins-2488_able_no-one-has-been-able-to-define-or-synthe_1667770.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/866/norman-cousins-2488_able_no-one-has-been-able-to-define-or-synthe_1667770.png) > “No one has been able to define or synthesize that precarious, splendid, and perhaps untidy instant when the creative process begins. This is what the uniqueness of the artist is all about. The transcendent right of the artist is the right to create even though he may not always know what he is doing.” [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The creative spark is a fragile, messy moment that defines an artist’s unique right to create without full certainty. **In simple terms:** Creativity starts in a messy, uncertain moment. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty to create. Themes creativity artist uncertainty process uniqueness Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - artistic practice - writing - design - innovation Key Concepts existentialism creative freedom paradox Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize the start of your creative process? - What does “right to create” mean to you? A Different Perspective The moment may be fleeting and hard to capture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-process/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Splendid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splendid/) [Transcendent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent/) [Uniqueness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uniqueness/) ## Related quotes > [If you have ambitions to go beyond your dreams, you should not seek to copy others' styles, but rather aim to acquire the fundamentals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-babailov/if-you-have-ambitions-to-go-beyond-your-dreams-you-should-not-seek-to/) [Igor Babailov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-babailov/) > [“Music is the great unifier. It doesn’t matter which country you’re in or what language is being spoken, the fans just magically seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-nevins/music-is-the-great-unifier-it-doesn-t-matter-which-country-you-re-in/) J.M. Nevins > [If you come across an American artist right now who has no political opinions or is afraid of talking politics, be very concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-palmer/if-you-come-across-an-american-artist-right-now-who-has-no-political/) [Amanda Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-palmer/) > [I don't know what else I would do. I love entertaining people, I love communicating, I love an audience. I'm a real artist, right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzi-quatro/i-don-t-know-what-else-i-would-do-i-love-entertaining-people-i-love/) [Suzi Quatro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzi-quatro/) > [An artist has every right - one may even say a duty - to exhibit his productions as prominently as he can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-barzun/an-artist-has-every-right-one-may-even-say-a-duty-to-exhibit-his/) [Jacques Barzun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-barzun/) > [“It’s an artist’s right to rebel against the world’s stupidity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-an-artist-s-right-to-rebel-against-the-world-s-stupidity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Freedom of speech is, to all Americans, as oxygen is to the human condition. It is a right that has been irreversibly programmed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-mcginley/freedom-of-speech-is-to-all-americans-as-oxygen-is-to-the-human/) [John C. McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-mcginley/) > [My friend Harry Nilsson used to say the definition of an artist was someone who rode way ahead of the herd and was sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/my-friend-harry-nilsson-used-to-say-the-definition-of-an-artist-was/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [I am a serious artist in my own right, in the sense that I've spent my entire life being an artist and trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shrigley/i-am-a-serious-artist-in-my-own-right-in-the-sense-that-i-ve-spent-my/) [David Shrigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shrigley/) > [You put the right artist on the right track in the studio and leave the door open to let God in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/you-put-the-right-artist-on-the-right-track-in-the-studio-and-leave/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I think that's the role of an artist, right? To touch someone and make us stretch out just a little bit more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-marie/i-think-that-s-the-role-of-an-artist-right-to-touch-someone-and-make/) [Rene Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-marie/) > [A good teacher is like a good artist. They go right to the most difficult part of whatever's going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-nauman/a-good-teacher-is-like-a-good-artist-they-go-right-to-the-most/) [Bruce Nauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-nauman/) > [So true is it that all transactions of preeminent importance are wrapt in doubt and obscurity; while some hold for certain facts the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tacitus/so-true-is-it-that-all-transactions-of-preeminent-importance-are/) [Tacitus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tacitus/) > [When I was very young my mother sang to me at bedtime and my dad would often play the banjo or fiddle in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-block/when-i-was-very-young-my-mother-sang-to-me-at-bedtime-and-my-dad/) Rory Block > [ They \[scientists of centuries past\] call on God only from the lonely and precarious edge of incomprehension. Where they feel certain about their explanations,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/they-scientists-of-centuries-past-call-on-god-only-from-the-lonely/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) ## More by Norman Cousins > [The poet reminds men of their uniqueness and it is not necessary to possess the ultimate definition of this uniqueness. Even to speculate is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-poet-reminds-men-of-their-uniqueness-and-it-is-not-necessary-to/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Unobstructed access to facts can produce unlimited good only if it is matched by the desire and ability to find out what they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/unobstructed-access-to-facts-can-produce-unlimited-good-only-if-it-is/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [What was significant about the laughter . . . was not just the fact that it provides internal exercise for a person . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/what-was-significant-about-the-laughter-was-not-just-the-fact-that-it/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [You are younger today than you will ever be again. Make use of it for the sake of tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/you-are-younger-today-than-you-will-ever-be-again-make-use-of-it-for/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [On the quality of life: #1. Realize that each human being has a built-in capacity for recuperation and repair. #2. Recognize that the quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/on-the-quality-of-life-1-realize-that-each-human-being-has-a-built-in/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [What a man really says when he says that someone else can be persuaded by force, is that he himself is incapable of more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/what-a-man-really-says-when-he-says-that-someone-else-can-be/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [The starting point for a better world is the belief that it is possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-starting-point-for-a-better-world-is-the-belief-that-it-is/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [The physician knows that his little black bag can carry him only so far and that the body's own healing system is the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-physician-knows-that-his-little-black-bag-can-carry-him-only-so/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [We are wide-eyed in contemplating the possibility that life may exist elsewhere in the universe, but we wear blinders when contemplating the possibilities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/we-are-wide-eyed-in-contemplating-the-possibility-that-life-may-exist/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [The essence of man is imperfection. Failure is simply a price we pay to achieve success. If we learn to embrace that new definition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-essence-of-man-is-imperfection-failure-is-simply-a-price-we-pay/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [My reason nourishes my faith and my faith my reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/my-reason-nourishes-my-faith-and-my-faith-my-reason/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [The growth of the human mind is still high adventure, in many ways the highest adventure on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/the-growth-of-the-human-mind-is-still-high-adventure-in-many-ways-the/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Death is not the enemy; living in constant fear of it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/death-is-not-the-enemy-living-in-constant-fear-of-it-is/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [All this sensory input, which begins in the brain, has its effect throughout the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-cousins/all-this-sensory-input-which-begins-in-the-brain-has-its-effect/) [Norman Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-cousins/) > [Humanity today is not safe in the presence of humanity. 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I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. 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