--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People often refer to a creative ability…" description: "\"People often refer to a creative ability as a 'gift', and, of course, it is, in that, if I had sat down and logically tried to work out who I was and w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/quentin-s-crisp-4149_ability_people-often-refer-to-a-creative-ability_775948.jpg" --- # People often refer to a creative ability as a 'gift', and… ![“People often refer to a creative ability as a 'gift', and, of course, it is, in that, if I had sat down and logically tried to work out who I was and what I should do, I would never have come up with the idea of writing. It was already there, gratis, a given - a gift.” quote by Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/quentin-s-crisp-4149_ability_people-often-refer-to-a-creative-ability_775948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/quentin-s-crisp-4149_ability_people-often-refer-to-a-creative-ability_775948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/quentin-s-crisp-4149_ability_people-often-refer-to-a-creative-ability_775948.jpg) > “People often refer to a creative ability as a 'gift', and, of course, it is, in that, if I had sat down and logically tried to work out who I was and what I should do, I would never have come up with the idea of writing. It was already there, gratis, a given - a gift.” [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative ability is a natural, given gift, not something that can be logically derived. **In simple terms:** Creativity is an innate gift, not a logical skill. Key Takeaway Trust your innate creative spark. Themes creativity gift innateness Mood thoughtful encouraging Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artistic pursuits - writing - innovation Key Concepts talent spontaneity inspiration Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture a gift while still practicing discipline? - What role does effort play in creative growth? A Different Perspective Believing creativity is only a gift may discourage effort to develop skills. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Work out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-out/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Your ability is a gift, but it isn't enough to reach your goal. You must be persistent and diligent on your way, and whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-b-vayk/your-ability-is-a-gift-but-it-isn-t-enough-to-reach-your-goal-you/) B.B. Vayk > [I consider my musical ability to be a gift from the Creator. It's not that I try to work hard or nothing like that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erykah-badu/i-consider-my-musical-ability-to-be-a-gift-from-the-creator-it-s-not/) [Erykah Badu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erykah-badu/) > [What often separates the good from the great is a layer of innate ability, a gift, so it's partly that. There's many people with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rankin/what-often-separates-the-good-from-the-great-is-a-layer-of-innate/) [Paul Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rankin/) > [Talent is a gift, but our character is a choice. Talent is natural ability, our gift from God, but we have the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/talent-is-a-gift-but-our-character-is-a-choice-talent-is-natural/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [While legislation can stimulate and encourage, the real creative ability which builds up and develops the country, and in general makes human existence more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-coolidge/while-legislation-can-stimulate-and-encourage-the-real-creative/) [Calvin Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-coolidge/) > [Messi is awesome. His creative ability is extraordinary, outside of normal patterns. He manages to see what others don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite/messi-is-awesome-his-creative-ability-is-extraordinary-outside-of/) [Tite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite/) > [From a management standpoint, it is very important to know how to unleash people's inborn creativity. My concept is that anybody has creative ability,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/from-a-management-standpoint-it-is-very-important-to-know-how-to/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) > [Everyone has the ability to be creative. Everyone has the ability to connect one idea with another, to find an idea in another department,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-dundon/everyone-has-the-ability-to-be-creative-everyone-has-the-ability-to/) Elaine Dundon > [My vision and my creative ability is just so broad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quavo/my-vision-and-my-creative-ability-is-just-so-broad/) [Quavo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quavo/) > [I feel like I introduce another level of my creative ability on every album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/busta-rhymes/i-feel-like-i-introduce-another-level-of-my-creative-ability-on-every/) [Busta Rhymes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/busta-rhymes/) > [A person's creative ability decreases in direct proportion to the degree to which he takes himself seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-person-s-creative-ability-decreases-in-direct-proportion-to-the/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Not the absorption capacity of the land, but the creative ability of a people, is the true yardstick with which we can measure the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/not-the-absorption-capacity-of-the-land-but-the-creative-ability-of-a/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [It is a rule of creative ability that it does nothing of any value, while it is possessed by this afflatus of vanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-stead/it-is-a-rule-of-creative-ability-that-it-does-nothing-of-any-value/) [Christina Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-stead/) > [Do you think of yourself as a creative personality? If you do, you are both fortunate and correct, in fact the beautiful truth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/do-you-think-of-yourself-as-a-creative-personality-if-you-do-you-are/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [There is nothing great in the world that does not owe its origin to the creative ability of an individual man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/there-is-nothing-great-in-the-world-that-does-not-owe-its-origin-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) ## More by Quentin S. Crisp > [I have a sense of them being Easter religions, for some reason. Christianity, of course, is a mystery religion, too, and I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-have-a-sense-of-them-being-easter-religions-for-some-reason/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ If we do want to do that \[ colonise space to survive, \], then vacuous materialism is not going to be enough for us. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/if-we-do-want-to-do-that-colonise-space-to-survive-then-vacuous/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I seemed to recall some words from an old Zen master, something like, "My Zen cuts down mountains." My rejection of Buddhism was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-seemed-to-recall-some-words-from-an-old-zen-master-something-like/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ This is the strange thing about existing in time. As \[Philip\] Larkin puts it, "truly, though our element is time, we are not used… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-is-the-strange-thing-about-existing-in-time-as-philip-larkin/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I've never been baptised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-ve-never-been-baptised/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [It would be hard to say that exactly, but antinatalism is a reality in my life, not just an interesting idea. I can feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/it-would-be-hard-to-say-that-exactly-but-antinatalism-is-a-reality-in/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ \[william\] Burroughs, incidentally, took up the slogan that we are "Here to go", which contradicts the tendency in Eastern mysticism to advocate staying where… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/william-burroughs-incidentally-took-up-the-slogan-that-we-are-here-to/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [As children in the seventies we were told about nebulous 'strangers'. By definition, we didn't know who these strangers were, and we didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/as-children-in-the-seventies-we-were-told-about-nebulous-strangers-by/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [This is part of the fundamental character of Buddhism that I find problematic - that it is not interested in anything. Hence the 'Fascination'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-is-part-of-the-fundamental-character-of-buddhism-that-i-find/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ I also remember a line from a song by Smog \[Bill Callahan\], which seems to describe the experience of a town-dweller moving to the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-also-remember-a-line-from-a-song-by-smog-bill-callahan-which-seems/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [This strong sense of who I am that I've always had, since I was very young, is what makes me write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/this-strong-sense-of-who-i-am-that-i-ve-always-had-since-i-was-very/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I like the concept of an anti-muse, though I'm not quite sure what that is. If there is such a thing in my life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-like-the-concept-of-an-anti-muse-though-i-m-not-quite-sure-what/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ I really think \[William\] Burroughs was onto something here, when he said, "Dreams are a biologic necessity and your lifeline into space." ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-really-think-william-burroughs-was-onto-something-here-when-he-said/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [ \[My muse\] is, in fact, a woman of the world, and precisely because of this, hopes that a diversity of cultures will endure, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/my-muse-is-in-fact-a-woman-of-the-world-and-precisely-because-of-this/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) > [I do have a muse. I am not sure how to describe her. She can be very elusive. She was born in England but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-s-crisp/i-do-have-a-muse-i-am-not-sure-how-to-describe-her-she-can-be-very/) [Quentin S. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) [Explore all 115 Quentin S. Crisp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-s-crisp/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People often refer to a creative ability as a 'gift', and, of course, it is, in that, if I had sat down and logically tried to work out who I was and what I should do, I would never have come up with the idea of writing. 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