Checks Quote by Woody Allen
“During the course of the year a number of ideas just come up automatically. I could be walking down the street. Or shaving. An idea will hit me and I'll write it down. Then, when I'm ready to write, I check my little matchbooks and napkins and find that it is good or it's pretty terrible. There are other times when I don't have any ideas and I'll go into a room and close the door and I sit and sweat it out for a day or a month and eventually I come up with [something].”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, 1995
Ideas often appear spontaneously during everyday activities, and can be captured later for evaluation; sometimes deliberate isolation is needed to generate ideas.
In simple terms: Ideas pop up randomly or after focused effort.
Key Takeaway
Capture ideas quickly; use both spontaneity and focused work.
Themes
creativity
process
mindset
Mood
reflective
curious
Type
observational
advice
When to use this quote
- writing
- brainstorming
- problem solving
- artistic projects
Key Concepts
spontaneous insight
deliberate incubation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide which spontaneous ideas to pursue?
- When is deliberate isolation most effective?
A Different Perspective
Not all ideas are valuable; time may be wasted on unproductive isolation.
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