Last Updated on March 29, 2026 by The Unbounded Thinker

A good artist lets his intuition lead him wherever it wants. –  Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

This saying by Lao Tzu basically says that a true artist understands that intuition is the secret to great creativity, and for this reason, he expresses or creates externally what he feels inwardly compelled to bring to life.

Whether people love his work or not does not matter because external validation does not guide his creative process. What people say about his art does not matter since he does not create to please people. He creates because the divine urge to express what is within is so loud and powerful that he cannot ignore it. His intuitive voice is the only thing that he allows to guide his creative path.

He follows this voice with devotion and he never ignores whatever it wants him to create, even if he knows that his creation might be controversial or it might fail to align with current trends. He does not dilute his message to make it more acceptable, nor does he censor himself for the sake of comfort or conformity. To him, authenticity is sacred, and staying true to the inner, divine voice is more important than seeking approval or avoiding criticism.

Even when the world fails to understand his work, even when it offends or provokes, he remains loyal to the creative force within. He knows that great art does not always arise from what is safe or familiar, but often from what is raw. It is not his role to judge or reshape the message he receives; it is simply his duty to bring into form what is within.

The artist doesn’t overanalyze or second-guess his work but trusts the intuitive voice. He lets his intuition take him wherever it wants. He does not examine how great artists created what he feels like creating. He does not consult other artists on how he should express what is within him. To him, his intuition is the only reliable guide.

The artist begins the creative process even when the full vision of his work has not yet come to him. He steps into the unknown, trusting that the act of creation itself will reveal the path forward. Rather than waiting for a complete, defined idea, he allows his intuition to lead him, knowing that works that touch people’s hearts come into being when the artist releases control and allows the process to unfold naturally, without a fixed outcome in mind.

He surrenders to the creative process, trusting that each step he takes, even in uncertainty, is a necessary part of the whole. He knows that his intuition, though it may not reveal the entire picture at once, holds within it the divine wisdom of where to go next. It knows what needs to emerge, and by following it, the artist allows the work to take its natural course.

The artist surrenders to the unknown due to his confidence in his intuitive voice. He understands that his role is not to control every detail from the start, but to remain receptive to the inner divine whispers. He knows that as soon as he starts creating, even without the complete idea, he will know the next step to take, as the creative process unfolds, until he suddenly realizes that he has naturally and effortlessly expressed the complete idea.

He does all this because he knows that his intuition is the voice of the Tao desiring to become visible through him. He knows that by letting his intuition lead him wherever it wants, he becomes a channel for infinite, divine intelligence. Most importantly, he understands that by surrendering to his intuition, he becomes in tune with the flow of life.