--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The working artist will not tolerate…" description: "\"The working artist will not tolerate trouble in her life because she knows trouble prevents her from doing her work. The working artist banishes from h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/steven-pressfield-696_art_the-working-artist-will-not-tolerate-tro_1292622.jpg" --- # The working artist will not tolerate trouble in her life… ![“The working artist will not tolerate trouble in her life because she knows trouble prevents her from doing her work. The working artist banishes from her world all sources of trouble. She harnesses the urge for trouble and transforms it in her work.” quote by Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/steven-pressfield-696_art_the-working-artist-will-not-tolerate-tro_1292622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/steven-pressfield-696_art_the-working-artist-will-not-tolerate-tro_1292622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d80/steven-pressfield-696_art_the-working-artist-will-not-tolerate-tro_1292622.jpg) > “The working artist will not tolerate trouble in her life because she knows trouble prevents her from doing her work. The working artist banishes from her world all sources of trouble. She harnesses the urge for trouble and transforms it in her work.” [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A productive creator eliminates distractions, turning any urge for trouble into artistic fuel. **In simple terms:** Artists should remove obstacles and use conflict as inspiration. Key Takeaway Eliminate distractions, channel conflict into work. Themes productivity creativity discipline Mood determined focused Type motivational practical When to use this quote - studio environment - writing deadlines - performance anxiety - creative blocks Key Concepts psychology flow resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform a specific annoyance into a creative idea? - What habits help you keep trouble at bay? A Different Perspective If trouble is ignored, it may still sabotage output. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“The working artist will not tolerate trouble in her life because she knows trouble prevents her from doing her work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-working-artist-will-not-tolerate-trouble-in-her-life-because-she-2/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [No artist will tolerate the world for one second as it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/no-artist-will-tolerate-the-world-for-one-second-as-it-is/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [When I commit to working with an artist, I give them as much respect as I would like and if I'm not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-white/when-i-commit-to-working-with-an-artist-i-give-them-as-much-respect/) [Wayne White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-white/) > [With my own work, I've always tried at least to wake people up and shake them out of their complacency. And that's always easier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-akerlund/with-my-own-work-i-ve-always-tried-at-least-to-wake-people-up-and/) [Jonas Akerlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-akerlund/) > [When I'm working with an artist, my job is to make their vision come to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-goransson/when-i-m-working-with-an-artist-my-job-is-to-make-their-vision-come/) [Ludwig Goransson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-goransson/) > [Working with the artist elite can be like banging your head against the wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/questlove/working-with-the-artist-elite-can-be-like-banging-your-head-against/) [Questlove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/questlove/) > [Future's a workaholic. That's definitely the most hard-working artist I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/metro-boomin/future-s-a-workaholic-that-s-definitely-the-most-hard-working-artist/) [Metro Boomin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/metro-boomin/) > [You can never not feel like that, as a working artist these days. It's funny - time off makes me nervous, but so does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-condon/you-can-never-not-feel-like-that-as-a-working-artist-these-days-it-s/) [Zach Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-condon/) > [Clearly the hardest thing for the working artist is to create his own conception and follow it, unafraid of the strictures it imposes, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-tarkovsky/clearly-the-hardest-thing-for-the-working-artist-is-to-create-his-own/) [Andrei Tarkovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-tarkovsky/) > [I'm always working my own thing. A few times a week - I try to not go too crazy - I'm working with some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lp/i-m-always-working-my-own-thing-a-few-times-a-week-i-try-to-not-go/) LP > [A working artist is a playing artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/a-working-artist-is-a-playing-artist/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [I think what we should concentrate on is what it feels like to be a working artist in the day to day. One doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-what-we-should-concentrate-on-is-what-it-feels-like-to-be-a/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [There's nothing wrong with working with no artist from any type of demographic, but you've still got to maintain what you do on whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/there-s-nothing-wrong-with-working-with-no-artist-from-any-type-of/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [I've had a nice career. I'm no David Bowie or Bruce Springsteen out there. I'm not an icon. I'm just a working artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-crowell/i-ve-had-a-nice-career-i-m-no-david-bowie-or-bruce-springsteen-out/) [Rodney Crowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-crowell/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More by Steven Pressfield > [Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/most-of-us-have-two-lives-the-life-we-live-and-the-unlived-life/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“The artist and the fundamentalist both confront the same issue, the mystery of their existence as individuals. Each asks the same questions: Who am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-artist-and-the-fundamentalist-both-confront-the-same-issue-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The professional arms himself with patience, not only to give the stars time to align in his career, but to keep himself from flaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-professional-arms-himself-with-patience-not-only-to-give-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The Kabbalah describes angels as bundles of light, meaning intelligence, consciousness. Kabbalists believe that above every blade of grass is an angel crying "Grow!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-kabbalah-describes-angels-as-bundles-of-light-meaning/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [There is an enemy. There is an intelligent, active, malign force working against us. Step one is to recognize this. This recognition alone is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/there-is-an-enemy-there-is-an-intelligent-active-malign-force-working/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [To labor in the arts for any reason other than love is prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/to-labor-in-the-arts-for-any-reason-other-than-love-is-prostitution/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“that of dealing death, of loosing another man’s soul and sending it down to hell. You want to savor it, to twist the blade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/that-of-dealing-death-of-loosing-another-man-s-soul-and-sending-it/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Resistance is experienced as fear; the degree of fear equates to the strength of Resistance. Therefore the more fear we feel about a specific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-is-experienced-as-fear-the-degree-of-fear-equates-to-the/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [When we sit down each day and do our work, power concentrates around us... Ideas come. Insights accrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/when-we-sit-down-each-day-and-do-our-work-power-concentrates-around/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Anything that draws attention to ourselves through pain-free or artificial means is a manifestation of Resistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/anything-that-draws-attention-to-ourselves-through-pain-free-or/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [The Gnostics believed that exile was the essential condition of man. Do you agree? I do. The artist and the addict both wrestle with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-gnostics-believed-that-exile-was-the-essential-condition-of-man/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting: The soul that rises with us, our life's star, Hath had elsewhere its setting, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/our-birth-is-but-a-sleep-and-a-forgetting-the-soul-that-rises-with-us/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [You are a writer when you tell yourself you are. No one else's opinion matters. Screw them. You are when you say you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/you-are-a-writer-when-you-tell-yourself-you-are-no-one-else-s-opinion/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“Resistance outwits the amateur with the oldest trick in the book: It uses his own enthusiasm against him. Resistance gets us to plunge into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/resistance-outwits-the-amateur-with-the-oldest-trick-in-the-book-it/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [“I don't need to read nothing,' said the New Zealander. 'I was there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/i-don-t-need-to-read-nothing-said-the-new-zealander-i-was-there/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) [Explore all 404 Steven Pressfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) ## 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. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. 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. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The working artist will not tolerate trouble in her life because she knows trouble prevents her from doing her work. 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