Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Your fear has been holding you hostage, and it's time to break free.
From Elizabeth Gilbert, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love, comes a liberating book about the joys of creative living. Big Magic is not just for artists and writers. It's for anyone who wants to live a life driven more strongly by curiosity than by fear.
Gilbert believes the universe buries jewels within each of us, and the hunt to uncover them is what separates a mundane existence from an enchanted one. In this book, she shares her wisdom on the mysterious nature of inspiration, the attitudes and habits needed to nurture creativity, and how to build a life that is, as she puts it, "a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life."
Divided into six parts, Courage, Enchantment, Permission, Persistence, Trust, and Divinity, Gilbert tackles the obstacles that stand between you and your most creative self. She shows you how to face down what you fear, let go of perfectionism, and embrace the playful spirit that makes creating worthwhile.
Whether you want to write a novel, start a business, learn a new skill, or simply infuse your everyday life with more passion and wonder, this book will give you the permission and inspiration you've been waiting for.
Interesting Facts
Creativity As A Living Entity: Gilbert genuinely believes ideas are conscious beings that seek human collaborators. They float through the universe looking for willing partners to bring them into existence. This magical thinking forms the heart of her creative philosophy.
Gilbert Narrates The Audiobook: Elizabeth Gilbert herself narrates the audiobook version of Big Magic. Listeners appreciate hearing her warm voice deliver the personal stories and advice directly. Many readers find the audiobook particularly satisfying.
Perfectionism Is Fear Dressed Up: Gilbert calls perfectionism just fear wearing fancy shoes and a mink coat. She argues that perfectionism particularly traps women who hold themselves to impossible standards. Nothing is ever beyond criticism, so we must release our work anyway.
Fear Gets A Seat, Not The Wheel: Gilbert welcomes fear on every creative journey but refuses to let it make decisions. Fear can come along for the ride, but she makes clear that fear gets no vote and absolutely cannot drive.
No MFA Required: Despite being a critically acclaimed author, Gilbert does not recommend spending tens of thousands on creative writing degrees. She believes life experience teaches more than academic theory. You can study the masters at the library for free.
Curiosity Over Passion: Gilbert suggests following curiosity rather than waiting for grand passion to strike. She followed tepid curiosity about gardening that eventually led to her novel The Signature of All Things. Small sparks of interest can lead to major creative projects.
Done Is Better Than Perfect: Gilbert openly admits some of her work is merely good enough. She believes finishing imperfect projects matters far more than endlessly polishing work that never sees daylight.
You Can't Control Results: Gilbert believes the results of creative work don't have much to do with the creator. She focuses only on producing the work itself, not on outcomes she cannot control.
Grew Up On Christmas Tree Farm: Elizabeth Gilbert grew up on a family Christmas tree farm in Connecticut. Her upbringing taught her that people in her family just made stuff without asking permission. This shaped her approach to creative living.
Quotes
"The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"You do not need anybody's permission to live a creative life." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"Your life is short and rare and amazing and miraculous, and you want to do really interesting things and make really interesting things while you’re still here." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"When I refer to 'creative living'… I'm talking about living a life that is more strongly driven by curiosity than by fear." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"I’ve never seen any life transformation that didn't begin with the person in question finally getting tired of their own bullshit." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"Done is better than good." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"Be the weirdo who dares to enjoy." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"If you’re alive, you’re a creative person." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"Perfectionism is just fear in fancy shoes and a mink coat." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"Recognizing that people’s reactions don’t belong to you is the only sane way to create." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"A creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life." - Elizabeth Gilbert
"What do you love doing so much that the words failure and success essentially become irrelevant?" - Elizabeth Gilbert
"We all spend our twenties and thirties trying so hard to be perfect, because we’re so worried about what people will think of us. Then we get into our forties and fifties, and we finally start to be free, because we decide that we don't give a damn what anyone thinks of us. But you won't be completely free until you reach your sixties and seventies, when you finally realize this liberating truth - nobody was ever thinking about you, anyhow." - Elizabeth Gilbert
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