Picasso would agree, he said "Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working"

damn this woman is wayyyyy eloquent. the words just keep pouring out of her effortlessly

Her description of the poet feeling the poem barrelling towards her and having to run to paper and pen or she'll miss it is a beautiful analogy.

The feeling of "having a genius" take over has happened a few times in my life. Sometimes when I am writing...more often when I am playing my viola. One time, during a solo concert of Bach Suite 1 G major, my mind went totally blank and my arms just moved. I heard every note, but felt totally detached as if I wasn't the one doing it. As if I were merely a channel for this beautiful, rich sound. At the end, the hall erupted with applause. I will never forget that feeling.

I'm glad that she pointed out that, at forty years of age, she is still quite young. Age bashing is also something that holds many back in their endeavors. They think they are too "old" to do anything. Stop thinking like that and live people! I'm in my late thirties and I feel like a 15 year old every day I wake up :)

Ole! She is not a genius, she has a genius. Her intelligence reflects in her demeanor and reflects in her thoughts. May her genius be with her forever.

I still listen to this at least once a year to remind myself that the creative genius assigned to my case may be illusive, as for everyone else. Thank you so much for such eloquence.

One of the best TEDtalks I've ever come across.

Now that's a Ted presentation

This is awesome and reminds me of this amazing Martha Graham quote; “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others”

Mind blowing! A genius who doesnt take herself so darn seriously is refreshing! I am her new fan!

The Genie was with her when she gave this talk. I've watch this again and again throughout many years since it's published, and it had helped me and reminded me to be humble, and always show up for my part of the job.

Wow what a lovable, funny, inspiring and intelligent woman.

I used to dance and in ten years, only twice did I experience this feeling of something taking over me and moving my body. I know it wasnt all in my head because random people stopped to watch and they wanted me to keep going. It was always in public and to live music. I felt it but when people would ask me to keep going I could still dance but it was almost fleeting then. Ill tell you after those experiences, Ive always felt that whenever my time comes I would be alright with that. If I had to descibe the feeling it would be as if the purest energy invaded my body. Like a spirit. I felt no pain, I felt fucking strong. I felt like I touched some place that we go when weve collected enough life experience. I was not on drugs either, im a drug free person. No booze either. Trust me what this lady is talking about sounds crazy but its real. It comes when you believe in the spirits around you. In the laughter and love that exists in the people and places around you. Throw yourself onto it like your body surfing on these forces. Just understand that the next day it will not be there and you can spend your life looking for it but it may not come. I think that it comes to the brightest soul around, and it spends the evening there. So let go when you get the urge and trust it.

So much of our language is rooted in these ancient ideas. The word "inspired" originated from "in spirit". The words "enthusiasm" and "theory" originate from the ancient Greek word for God "Theos". Today we think of inspiration, enthusiasm and theories as something coming from the individual when in fact the original meaning was of something coming through the individual.

the society wants everyone to be controlled, predictable, to fit in a box. creativity is the greatest rebellion to the vested interests. the society doesnt want you to be wild a free. Creativity is wild and free and the layers of conditioning supress​ it so when someone is creative they dont fit.

"inspiration exists, but it comes to you while you´re working" Picasso

My writer friend describes it as getting into the flow. As I get into the flow, have a feeling of delicious excitement and words emerge almost on their own.

This helped me complete my first film, piano etude, and orchestral score (first vid on my channel 😁). The part about "showing up to work" even if nothing comes out is what did it for me. Especially once I realized there's no such thing as an unproductive session: even if I have "writer's block" and don't come up with a single additional note, I've cycled through some ideas, which makes room for other ideas the next day.

The concept has been covered in the book 'The War of Art' by Steven Pressfield. I read it a while ago and now this video strengthened the idea again. 'You are not entitled to the rewards of your work, but you are responsible for carrying it out'. Great talk! I live for little inspirations like this at 2 AM :)

mind blown! i feel like what she is talking about is a sort of surrender to something beyond the self and can be applied to any kind of work. Just hearing this talk makes me feel like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders.

Gilbert has such a soothing voice to listen to.....

My mom used to tell me "ideas take wings and fly so run with them before someone else catches them". Her quote reminds me of Ruth Stone's writing process. I've had ideas come to me in like a sweeping breeze kind of like Ruth Stone's thunderous train of air but not quite so violent but close.

Wow. It's almost been a decade. This is still my favorite TED talk in the existence of all TED talks. What an amazing human. Thank you, Elizabeth. This is the stuff of legends that which artists like myself will always connect.

Without Elizabeth Gilbert's advice I would have never had the courage to write my debut novella and certainly wouldn't be working on my first novel. Thank you Elizabeth. Such a fan of your advice on creativity and following your curiosity.

it's amazing how she naturally puts into words such actual and relevant subject. The concerns around the creativity are real and all the wrong definition that most people attribute to a genius is "overrated"

Man this is so great, I saw this 10 years ago and recently I was reminded of the story of the woman hearing the poem coming down the fields. I searched this video out and saw it again, just such a good and liberating perspective on the creative process. Ole!

Still watching this in 2019. So appreciate this as one of the BEST talks that I've had the Pleasure of hearing. Thank you for presenting.

I'm a writer for more than a decade (i started professionally when i was 18 or 19) - This job pays all my bills... and i'm still afraid :) - I hope one day, i'll be like you - have my own successful book - and yes, i'm still afraid.

This is insightful for creative people who are constantly reflecting and wondering how to balance understanding their genius, gift, and anxiety.

I'm in love with this woman, she is extraordinary

Olé to her speech!! she has truly one of the best minds out there! I admire her performance on stage and the way she handled the nerves!!! She sets a great example for those of us in our creative endeavors! Whatever brought us to this speech, whether it is the sign we needed to start, the wake-up call we needed to make some change or we're bidding our creative process farewell and somehow we came across this revolutionary and much-needed perspective, I honor us for coming this far and I wish us all the best on our creative journey! Also, her book big magic is an extended and holistic version of this beautiful perspective, I deeply recommend it if you haven't checked it out yet :))

this may have saved my life.

I get exactly what she means. There have been many times where an idea has struck me that seems so...unlike me that I can be left pondering more where it come from rather than what I should do with it.

I search for and view endless TED Talks, but I can count on one hand the ones that went beyond diverting or entertaining to very relevant and useful. This one is about the best one I've ever heard, and I come back to it again and again. If you're a creative person, it's real food for thought. Best of luck to all us creators!

She is incredible. What an inspiration. Wonderful thinker, compelling voice and presence. Can she have her own show?

I have been toying with these ideas, but really needed to hear it from another, moderately sane, highly intelligent human. Seriously, I might have to actually read the book now, rather than just poke fun in a knee-jerk masculine response.

This is amazing. I love her ideas, I love the way she talks. She truly has a genius.

One of my fav talks. Over 10 years of listening to this over and over and it still is so meaningful.

As someone who has written and sang since I could physically do so, I can relate to this so much. In my own weird way, I can relate even to Ruth's process of writing poetry. I have told people many times that I can't take credit for almost any of my songs. Sometimes the poems I write don't even make sense to me until years later. Sometimes I don't even know what the poem is about until after I'm done writing it down and decide to go back and read it. Up until this point, I haven't talked to many other people who can relate to that. So this Ted Talk hit me somewhere deep, and helped me not feel so alone in this confusing world. And also helped remind me to keep showing up for my job.

As a poet I've always thought of myself as a conduit. Something out there needs to be seen/heard/put into form and either I was at the right place & time or it, for some reason unknown to me, chose me. If it's the latter, I know it doesn't make me any more or less special. I'm just happy to be of service. My take away from Elizabeth's talk is that I need to show up more often so I can serve this/my creative genius more often.

Thank you for this amazing view on CREATIVITY :) Super inspiring!

This has to be the most eloquent and fluid and effortless Ted talk I've ever seen. The genius was with her that day!

i've lost myself so many times under expectations (my own as well as other people's) and have put on myself so many pressures that i forgot who i creatively am (always the doubt, the doubt, the doubt while working on something - is there something creative in me at all?)... i'm stil in that phase, but i'm trying to get out of it and hope it will be ok in the end. this was very motivating and inspiring, thank you!

If you enjoyed this talk, you must check out "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Great ideas explored in it.

Love this concept... And speech! Helpful...inspirational...freeing.

Definitely the best speech I have heard that actually understood the anxiety that comes with creative pursuit. This is like free therapy for artists

One of the greatest ted talks I've watched. I loved how she spoke!

I’ve felt this way when ever I’m creating art from time to time. It felt like I was possessed by a poem or a story and I couldn’t stop, nothing around me matter but the art. It’s such a beautiful experience.

I'm so glad she kept writing. I love all of her books ❤️

Wow. The emotional cost of creativity, validated in a short speech.

This has to be one of the best TED talks ever

Yes! Songs, and stories sometimes, do this to me. I have often frantically searched for a pen and paper. I have not often had a final glorious product, but the gift is given every once in awhile, and for that I feel immense gratitude.

Seriously I e seen this video about 8-9 times in the course of 5-10 years. It never gets old. It’s masterful. Ole to you, what a beautiful speech and even better delivery! Ole.!

I’m a music producer and when it happens, when that blank template/canvas turns into a full auditory experience, Im always in awe at how it happens 🙌🏿🙌🏿🙌🏿

This just shows how when you have attachment to the things that derive from your work that essentially feed the ego, the work and mental state stemming from those attachments will not be to the level of what you originally had. Stay present, practice mindfulness and everything will work out.

Watching this video again after a few years…it's interesting to hear it again as my philosophy on life changes. I've gone from fundamentalist Christian to agnostic humanist and a few things in between. the first time I watched I was very resistant to any notion of the mystical, and I simply attributed creative genius to the great complex human mind. But I realize now that our minds, particularly the subconscious, are still largely a mystery to us. And I can accept that there are forces at work in the world that I can never understand. I believe it's presumptuous to think that we could ever totally understand life and nature with our limited capacities. As a writer I can be open to Elizabeth's argument for forces beyond understanding influencing our work. After all, we *don't* understand.

what a eloquent orator she is. Amazing pauses and voice modulations. This is definitely one of the best talks I have heard. A case brilliantly presented. Surprisingly, I came here because google bard provided this as a resource when I was questioning it about imposter syndrome. While this is not exactly in line with what I was looking for, I was still left transfixed to the content. Bravo Elizabeth. Thank you. And to add to her take on taking the genius out of the human form, it is also makes room for gratitude in its stead. That is such an amazing thing. Whenever I hear Hindustani Classical artists, they always allude to this supernatural presence which aids them into performing their best and they are ever so grateful for that. Probably this comes from the learning of the craft, but when I see such mention of something beyond the artist, I have immense respect for the person.

I come back to this talk all the time, so good. Thank you Elizabeth ✨

The creative process. There is the first requirement which is ability. The skill to work at whatever craft you do which is alway a combination of natural talent and inclination and lots and lots of practice. The second factor is inspiration. The muse. Once one has the ability then the muse can flow into you, through you. Of course, self doubt and so many other things can interrupt and short circuit this. Thinking too much. That is one of the reasons so many musicians and others do terrible things to themselves with drugs and drink. There are those lucky artists who manage to live balanced lives. But life has a way of destroying people. Even more so for many creative people. There are also lots of people with great skills in their field for whom the muse never comes. History forgets them.

This is the most Brilliant presentation I've seen in my entire life as a creative professional. Truly, it brought tears to my eyes and I agree with everything you said. I cannot begin to thank you enough, but please let me begin: Thank you so much for sharing this.

Thank you so much for your eloquence Elizabeth. Listening to this regularly through an especially challenging creative process helped me show up everyday. My creative genius will find me sat at a desk whenever it decides to come out to assist with the work at hand.Hopefully, its more like dobby and less like kreacher

What a humble human being and so so mature. Absolutely loved hearing every word of him! Only best wishes for him

creativity its an unpredictable child

This is illuminating. As an actor I have most often felt the characters coming through me rather than me creating them. At least when my best work is done that is how it originates. But to believe if u produce a dud, its not you, its the spirit's fault - is so much healthier for the creative soul. This is what actors need - creative distance. Thankyou.

I want to commend you for making this speech. It takes an extraordinary amount of courage to share the information that you were so willing to parlay in this TED talk. From a person who has been struggling to find the thing she loves most, and persevere, this speech means the world to me. Thank you Elizabeth, so, so much for your "work".

What an absolutely inspirational video that has lifted the gray shadow hanging over my head. My parents dismissed my dream as a writer years ago. I believed them. But now that I've been reinvented with amnesia (that was treacherous) I have a new lease on life.

Thoughtful and Inspiring Talk. Got me thinking about success in a different way than I thought of it before.

Arguably my favorite talk of all time. This resonated with me on so many levels! I've watched it many times and it doesn't lose its potency.

Thank you Elizabeth, and TedTalks. I’ve enjoyed immensely the talks shared on this forum, and am thankful for people who take out time to help us see that we can accomplish our genius.

I refer to this talk regularly. It brings me so much peace. Thank you.

From the first time I saw this, it's stuck in my mind in a pretty serious way. Revisiting now with a friend and it's just as impactful as it was on Day 1.

I run away from my creativity all my life but this speech changed something inside of me. THANK YOU! ❤️❤️❤️

I have been struggling and suffering with what I see as failure lately on an art piece for a friend, returned to art in the past year and giving it my all. I VERY much needed this lately as I am totally aware my mindset is negative and not sustainable. I need to adjust and reframe how I am seeing resistance and the struggle and accept it as a learning curve instead of internalizing it as weakness. I am so grateful the universe sent this my way.

When jaskeir says he’s afraid of the day when the muses stop talking to him in season 2 brought me back here.

i understood this in a way that i never thought i would. it definitely put so many of my fears at rest. so glad i watched it!

Finally: vulnerability combined with a great idea. This is how it authentically is. Not this endless posturing and faux veneer sheen of perfectionism.

I loooove this Ted talk because it's so soothing how she works through her ideas, especially with her calming voice!

Definitely my favorite TED talk ever. I just love this so much

This was so deeply affirming. As someone who is deeply intuitive and feeling, and artistic and creative, hearing how these people receive these creative urges made tears fall from my eyes. I have largely oppressed these creative urges because as a creative person, many who don't view themselves as such view these creative urges as maniac outbursts. It is so deeply affirming to know that with creatives: I am normal. I am just creative. This is the work.

I read your book EAT, PRAY, LOVE and it was great. I revealed to me that we all must do things that we truly love.

I love her creative 'genius'. And she personally is quirky and funny and I love her way with words. She's wonderful! Ole, Liz Gilbert!

I love listening to and reading Elizabeth Gilbert's words, so inspiring everytime!

Fabulous woman, fabulous creative person!!! I am really grateful for Elisabet and for her genius for this outstanding speech!!! So inspiring, listening to these ideas was just breathtaking!!! Every artist needs to hear this for a better creative life and for life itself! Ole to you, nonetheless!!!!!

As someone who's doing creative work, I'd like to say 'thank you' for this speech. I've always hear about 'Eat, Pray, Love' but never get around to reading it so I think that will change soon.

I still love this YEARS later.

As a creative, I keep coming back to this every so often. It completely changed my relationship with my work.

This almost made me want to cry from familiarity. The best things 'I've' written or sung or acted (or whatever) have never come from me. I don't know where they come from, but they're not me. And I love the way she has crafted this talk to help other creatives

Brought here from the Game Grumps, glad that Danny mentioned this!

Literally one of the best chats on the platform. Thank you for helping me in so many ways, I find this new way of thinking about my own thoughts just wonderful, I can deal with these ethereal, lucky and unexpected thoughts more naturally and efficiently in all aspects, almost like a dialogue

Loved the talk. It makes my heart sing to know that people like her exist.

My favorite TED talk to date.

This speech quite literally brought tears to my eyes and shivers down my spine. Olé to you dear creative genius Elizabeth Gilbert for opening the eyes and the heart and bringing understanding and a sense of peace to the mind and soul.

Her precious words touched my heart like she did in Eat Pray Love. She is a truly inspiring writer that give strength for many people. I adore her💕💕💕

As a writer myself and someone who delves deeply into the metaphysical, I also came upon a similar realization with the concept of creative energy. It was great to see confirmation of what I knew, thank you!

This is absolutely stunning. Thank you so much for inspiring.

reading her book : Big Magic and i am in awe

'Excuses me, don't you see I'm driving? " Hilarious😊

AN EXCEPTIONALLY INTELLIGENT, WISE, HUMBLE AND FASCINATING WOMAN. BRAVO!!!

The weird part is that I got here from a Kirby video.