15 Inspiring Quotes from Real Artists Don’t Starve by Jeff Goins

Last Updated on October 9, 2019 by The Unbounded Thinker

In his book, Jeff Goins debunks the idea that artists starve. He provides several examples of individuals that make money from art and enlightens us about the factors that make artists succeed. The book is an inspiring read for anyone who wants to be an artist.

I gathered the following amazing quotes from Jeff Goins’ book.

1. ‘We can go in the direction of what is expected of us. Or, we can enter a world of possibility and reimagine our future.’
2. ‘If we want to become artists, we are going to have to break some rules. We cannot do just what is expected of us. At some point, we must break away from the status quo and forge a new path. As it turns out, this is how creativity works best.’
3. ‘You can do extraordinary things when you are patiently persistent.’
4. ‘Over the course of a lifetime, we may find ourselves facing new challenges at every turn, and when we do, we must remember that we are never done becoming who we are.’
5. ‘What’s out there, however scary it may be, is almost certainly better than staying where we are now.’
6. ‘This is the rule of creative theft, which says greatness doesn’t come from a single great idea or eureka moment. It comes from borrowing other people’s work and building on it.’
7. ‘You persevere because you know this will not be easy and the odds are stacked against you. But if you keep going, you will outlast the majority who quit at the first few signs of trouble.’
8. ‘What will make you stand out from the crowd is not just the audacity to ask for help but the humility to learn and act.’
9. ‘Stubbornness can be an essential ingredient in making a living off your art. When you harness your strategic stubbornness, you give the world a reason to believe in your work.’
10. ‘When we allow ourselves to be teachable, we attract those who would influence us and help our work spread.’
11. ‘Employers become patrons when we begin to see them not as obstacles to the work we want to do but as a way of funding it.’
12. ‘A willingness to step out of our comfort zone is the first step towards finding the place and the people who will help our work thrive.’
13. In every failure and disappointment, there is an opportunity to either give in to frustration or see such shortcomings as practice.’
14. ‘When we sincerely offer our gifts to the world, not through hype but by practicing in public, the world often repays us by first taking notice and then responding with loyalty. We get better, earning an audience that will allow us to continue for the years to come.’
15. ‘The age of the starving artist is over. The era of the thriving artist is among us.’