--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Creative people... are distinguished by…" description: "\"Creative people... are distinguished by the fact that they can live with anxiety, even though a high price may be paid in terms of insecurity, sensitiv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/rollo-may-1295_anxiety_creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the_3214257.jpg" --- # Creative people... are distinguished by the fact that they… ![“Creative people... are distinguished by the fact that they can live with anxiety, even though a high price may be paid in terms of insecurity, sensitivity, and defenselessness for the gift of 'divine madness,' to borrow the term used by the classical Greeks.” quote by Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/rollo-may-1295_anxiety_creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the_3214257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/rollo-may-1295_anxiety_creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the_3214257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/rollo-may-1295_anxiety_creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the_3214257.jpg) > “Creative people... are distinguished by the fact that they can live with anxiety, even though a high price may be paid in terms of insecurity, sensitivity, and defenselessness for the gift of 'divine madness,' to borrow the term used by the classical Greeks.” [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative individuals accept anxiety as part of the artistic process, embracing vulnerability for profound insight. **In simple terms:** Creativity needs anxiety and vulnerability. Key Takeaway Embrace discomfort for deeper creativity. Themes creativity anxiety vulnerability Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - artistic work - personal growth - therapy sessions Key Concepts divine madness psychology Questions to Reflect On - Can you tolerate uncertainty? - What does 'divine madness' mean to you? A Different Perspective Excessive anxiety may hinder productivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-people/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [High prices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-prices/) [Insecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insecurity/) [Madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sensitivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitivity/) ## Related quotes > [Anxiety is essential to the human condition. The confrontation with anxiety can relieve us from boredom, sharpen the sensitivity and assure the presence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/anxiety-is-essential-to-the-human-condition-the-confrontation-with/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Receptivity requires a nimbleness, a fine-honed sensitivity in order to let one's self be the vehicle of whatever vision may emerge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/receptivity-requires-a-nimbleness-a-fine-honed-sensitivity-in-order/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [It is highly significant and indeed almost a rule, that moral courage has its source in such identification through one's own sensitivity with suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/it-is-highly-significant-and-indeed-almost-a-rule-that-moral-courage/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [It's easy to talk about our system not functioning. It's actually functioning exactly the way we've designed it to function by giving so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-edwards/it-s-easy-to-talk-about-our-system-not-functioning-it-s-actually/) Mickey Edwards > [High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-hart/high-price-a-neuroscientist-s-journey-of-self-discovery-that/) [Carl Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-hart/) > [The most realistic distinction between the investor and the speculator is found in their attitude toward stock-market movements. The speculator's primary interest lies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-most-realistic-distinction-between-the-investor-and-the/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) > [A high price may be part of the mystique in selling difficult art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/a-high-price-may-be-part-of-the-mystique-in-selling-difficult-art/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [To die for an idea is to set a rather high price upon conjecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/to-die-for-an-idea-is-to-set-a-rather-high-price-upon-conjecture/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [A woman is not a whole woman without the experience of marriage. In the case of a bad marriage, you win if you lose.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/a-woman-is-not-a-whole-woman-without-the-experience-of-marriage-in/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [There is rarely a creative man who does not have to pay a high price for the divine spark of his greatest gifts... the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/there-is-rarely-a-creative-man-who-does-not-have-to-pay-a-high-price-2/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [I am astonished at the high prices paid for works by painters who are dead, prices none of them could expect when they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-am-astonished-at-the-high-prices-paid-for-works-by-painters-who-are/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“Jesus paid a high price for your peace. Don't give it away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcgee/jesus-paid-a-high-price-for-your-peace-don-t-give-it-away/) [David McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcgee/) > [We legislate against forestalling and monopoly; we would have a common granary for the poor; but the selfishness which hoards thecorn for high prices,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/we-legislate-against-forestalling-and-monopoly-we-would-have-a-common/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Living a lie - pretending everything is fine when we are actually discontented - is hard work and, in the long run, even bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristiane-backer/living-a-lie-pretending-everything-is-fine-when-we-are-actually/) [Kristiane Backer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristiane-backer/) > [In a gallery, there's an expectation of high prices and a somewhat elitist atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cotton/in-a-gallery-there-s-an-expectation-of-high-prices-and-a-somewhat/) [Will Cotton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cotton/) ## More by Rollo May > [Human freedom involves our capacity to pause between the stimulus and response and, in that pause, to choose the one response toward which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/human-freedom-involves-our-capacity-to-pause-between-the-stimulus-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Political freedom is to be cherished indeed. But there is no political freedom that is not indissolubly bound to the inner personal freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/political-freedom-is-to-be-cherished-indeed-but-there-is-no-political/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the effect which comes when we use our powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-effect-which-comes-when-we-use-our-powers/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [In religion, it is not the sycophants or those who cling most faithfully to the status quo who are ultimately praised. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/in-religion-it-is-not-the-sycophants-or-those-who-cling-most/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One of the few blessings of living in an age of anxiety is that we are forced to become aware of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-of-the-few-blessings-of-living-in-an-age-of-anxiety-is-that-we/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Intimacy requires courage because risk is inescapable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/intimacy-requires-courage-because-risk-is-inescapable/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Artists do not run away from non-being, but by encountering and wrestling with it, force it to produce being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/artists-do-not-run-away-from-non-being-but-by-encountering-and/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we do not experience it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/technology-is-the-knack-of-so-arranging-the-world-that-we-do-not/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [By the creative act, we are able to reach beyond our own death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/by-the-creative-act-we-are-able-to-reach-beyond-our-own-death/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Joy is the zest that you get out of using your talents, your understanding, the totality of your being, for great aims...That's the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/joy-is-the-zest-that-you-get-out-of-using-your-talents-your/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [One must have at least a readiness to love the other person, broadly speaking, if one is to be able to understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/one-must-have-at-least-a-readiness-to-love-the-other-person-broadly/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Man is the "ethical animal" ethical in potentiality even if, unfortunately, not in actuality. His capacity for ethical judgment like freedom, reason and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/man-is-the-ethical-animal-ethical-in-potentiality-even-if/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [Evil, in this system of ethics, is that which tears apart, shuts out the other person, raises barriers, sets people against each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/evil-in-this-system-of-ethics-is-that-which-tears-apart-shuts-out-the/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [We receive love — from our children as well as others — not in proportion to our demands or sacrifices or needs, but roughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/we-receive-love-from-our-children-as-well-as-others-not-in-proportion/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [The opposite of courage in our society is not cowardice, it is conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/the-opposite-of-courage-in-our-society-is-not-cowardice-it-is/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) [Explore all 259 Rollo May quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Creative people... are distinguished by the fact that they can live with anxiety, even though a high price may be paid in terms of insecurity, sensitivity, and defenselessness for the gift of 'divine madness,' to borrow the term used by the classical Greeks.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rollo May" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the-fact-that-they-can-live-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the-fact-that-they-can-live-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/rollo-may-1295_anxiety_creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the_3214257.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/rollo-may-1295_anxiety_creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the_3214257.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efe/rollo-may-1295_anxiety_creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the_3214257.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Creative people... are distinguished by the fact that they can live with anxiety, even though a high price…” — Rollo May", "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": "Rollo May", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Creative people... are distinguished by the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the-fact-that-they-can-live-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/creative-people-are-distinguished-by-the-fact-that-they-can-live-with/#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 } } ] } ```