--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been riding on the crest of a slump…" description: "\"I've been riding on the crest of a slump lately.\" — Tom Waits" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/tom-waits-916_riding_i-ve-been-riding-on-the-crest-of-a-slump_874614.jpg" --- # I've been riding on the crest of a slump lately. ![“I've been riding on the crest of a slump lately.” quote by Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/tom-waits-916_riding_i-ve-been-riding-on-the-crest-of-a-slump_874614.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/tom-waits-916_riding_i-ve-been-riding-on-the-crest-of-a-slump_874614.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/tom-waits-916_riding_i-ve-been-riding-on-the-crest-of-a-slump_874614.jpg) > “I've been riding on the crest of a slump lately.” [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. I’m experiencing a creative low, yet it feels like a wave I ride. **In simple terms:** Embrace the slump as a temporary crest. Key Takeaway Ride the low, expect the next rise. Themes creativity cycles resilience Mood melancholic hopeful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - writing - painting - musician’s block - entrepreneurial ventures Key Concepts psychology artistic process Questions to Reflect On - What does this slump teach you? - How can you use this period productively? A Different Perspective Slumps can become stagnation if not recognized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Riding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riding/) ## Related quotes > [We're in such a slump that even the ones that are drinkin' aren't hittin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-stengel/we-re-in-such-a-slump-that-even-the-ones-that-are-drinkin-aren-t/) [Casey Stengel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-stengel/) > [I never even thought the sophomore slump existed. You hear the saying, but you never thought it was for real or anything. But that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasey-kahne/i-never-even-thought-the-sophomore-slump-existed-you-hear-the-saying/) [Kasey Kahne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasey-kahne/) > [When you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/when-you-re-in-a-slump-you-re-not-in-for-much-fun-un-slumping/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Don't want to slump over the oars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-genn/don-t-want-to-slump-over-the-oars/) James Genn > [One thing anyone can go through is a slump. Unless you're Greg Maddux, it's going to happen to everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-piazza/one-thing-anyone-can-go-through-is-a-slump-unless-you-re-greg-maddux/) [Mike Piazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-piazza/) > [I was in a very deep, dark slump, and I needed to find a way to get myself out of it. I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shania-twain/i-was-in-a-very-deep-dark-slump-and-i-needed-to-find-a-way-to-get/) [Shania Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shania-twain/) > [We're not even thinking about (the postseason) right now. We've been in a slump, so we're taking things day by day. We aren't looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cartier-martin/we-re-not-even-thinking-about-the-postseason-right-now-we-ve-been-in/) Cartier Martin > [You find yourself by losing yourself. By not thinking about yourself all of the time. When I am in a slump with my writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-peacock/you-find-yourself-by-losing-yourself-by-not-thinking-about-yourself/) [Doug Peacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-peacock/) > [When you're in a slump, it's almost as if you look out at the field and it's one big glove.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-law/when-you-re-in-a-slump-it-s-almost-as-if-you-look-out-at-the-field/) Vance Law > [There were times when i felt in a slump or lonely but i never thought of giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandara-park/there-were-times-when-i-felt-in-a-slump-or-lonely-but-i-never-thought/) Sandara Park > [Slump, and the world slumps with you. Push, and you push alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/slump-and-the-world-slumps-with-you-push-and-you-push-alone/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [I learned that I have to work hard every day, that I can't get down if I get in a slump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-beltran/i-learned-that-i-have-to-work-hard-every-day-that-i-can-t-get-down-if/) [Carlos Beltran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-beltran/) > [I gave myself a mental shake. Snapping out of a slump, that was what today was all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/i-gave-myself-a-mental-shake-snapping-out-of-a-slump-that-was-what/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [It is like when a player has a slump, we do not trade them, we coach them. It is the same with our employees.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/it-is-like-when-a-player-has-a-slump-we-do-not-trade-them-we-coach/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [If I'm in a slump, I ask myself for advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ichiro-suzuki/if-i-m-in-a-slump-i-ask-myself-for-advice/) [Ichiro Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ichiro-suzuki/) ## More by Tom Waits > [Most of us have the residue of thousands of songs in our ears, that if you end up songwriting, I think you're mostly smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-us-have-the-residue-of-thousands-of-songs-in-our-ears-that-if/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Don't plant your days they turn into weeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/don-t-plant-your-days-they-turn-into-weeds/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin, and dance around in your bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/t-ain-t-no-sin-to-take-off-your-skin-and-dance-around-in-your-bones/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“an all time favorite: "The large print giveth, the small print taketh away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/an-all-time-favorite-the-large-print-giveth-the-small-print-taketh/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-ll-tell-you-all-my-secrets-but-i-lie-about-my-past/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [For a songwriter, you don't really go to songwriting school; you learn by listening to tunes. And you try to understand them and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/for-a-songwriter-you-don-t-really-go-to-songwriting-school-you-learn/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm trying to learn how to write faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-trying-to-learn-how-to-write-faster/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The world is a hellish place, and bad writing is destroying the quality of our suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-world-is-a-hellish-place-and-bad-writing-is-destroying-the/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. 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I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Most of the things you absorb you will ultimately secrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-the-things-you-absorb-you-will-ultimately-secrete/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much. It's more, perhaps, like a dog in some ways. It does have its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-bark-my-voice-out-through-a-closed-throat-pretty-much-it-s-more/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Explore all 328 Tom Waits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## More Lately quotes > [Lately you are brooding too much about rights. Give up this dangerous habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/lately-you-are-brooding-too-much-about-rights-give-up-this-dangerous/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [Writing is getting killed by too many chefs. Back in the Bogart days, it started with great scripts. You had a writer, and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/writing-is-getting-killed-by-too-many-chefs-back-in-the-bogart-days/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Some have greatness thrust upon them, but not lately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-dane/some-have-greatness-thrust-upon-them-but-not-lately/) [Frank Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-dane/) > [Lately I've been a workaholic. I'm in the studio all the time and I've helped to produce a couple of artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-sheik/lately-i-ve-been-a-workaholic-i-m-in-the-studio-all-the-time-and-i-ve/) [Duncan Sheik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-sheik/) > [I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-degraw/i-don-t-want-to-be-anything-other-than-what-i-ve-been-trying-to-be/) [Gavin DeGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-degraw/) > [This was how I was dealing with everyone and everything lately, taking the good when it came, and the bad the same way, knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/this-was-how-i-was-dealing-with-everyone-and-everything-lately-taking/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [I am so lazy. I really don't have a regimen. 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I think”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mulle/was-so-sluggish-and-sad-lately-i-think/) [Mark Mulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mulle/) > [I'm thinking maybe I can't have relationships cause lately they're not making any sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/3oh-3/i-m-thinking-maybe-i-can-t-have-relationships-cause-lately-they-re/) [3OH!3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/3oh-3/) > [“More and more lately it seems as though the majority of my conversations are with myself. Given half the stuff I think, that’s probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/more-and-more-lately-it-seems-as-though-the-majority-of-my/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [The stuff that I've been doing lately is political. It's not always about people who are super famous movie stars. The fact that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-longworth/the-stuff-that-i-ve-been-doing-lately-is-political-it-s-not-always/) [Karina Longworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-longworth/) > [I almost feel more anxious lately about, 'Here's your opportunity, now you've got to make something of it.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hemsworth/i-almost-feel-more-anxious-lately-about-here-s-your-opportunity-now/) [Chris Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hemsworth/) > [I mean, it's weird because people lately have been coming up to me and going, 'Oh, my God. '300' is huge.' 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