Elizabeth Gilbert: A new way to think about creativity

http://www.ted.com "Eat, Pray, Love" Author Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate.

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[danieljohnsonfilms]

All the energy people are putting into arguing on here. Leave Facebook, go start your new book or screenplay or painting.

[SiriusPotterFan]

Fantastic perspective. Love thinking about this. Thanks, Elizabeth Gilbert! :)

[slapshotoi]

Best TED Talk. Ever.

[LaiPt]

That structure of thinking, to deal with pressures and fear totally works!

[SilvaPurry]

@NASIMNASIM don't know, but I like that :D brazilians do it as well!!

[NASIMNASIM]

Why do americans laugh at everything?

[songteller]

I'm an agnostic, nearly an atheist, but I appreciate her idea. I've said for years it's my subconscious that does the writing. This may be simply a psychological construct to protect myself from artistic failure and narcissism, but who cares? Sometimes a bit of weirdness keeps us sane.

[VonHalford]

Wow a lot of negativity on here based on what? The fact that you believe in no higher entity? That's great, learn to translate a thought so it can apply to you instead of rejecting it completely, also, why don't you write an established best seller novel about your own trip and life and then judge this person. Better yet, don't judge people at all.

[fireant202]

Two words: BLACK SWAN. Scalable professions are bad.

[corin187]

she looks like a female steve jobs

[Jeroenvrolijk]

This is so new age! Dont you guys hear when she speaks of 'some sort of divine greatness' be more specific please. Or is that part of the road I must travel?

[7thGuard]

I've had similar experiences, but my muse in tormenting me - cause she only speaks to me when I'm about to sleep and goes away when i turn up the light. Early in the morning, i try to remember my late night experience - the words exactly as they were laid down in my mind at that time, but can seem to remember more than bits of pieces which i can put together and that's tormenting me. I don't know what "it" wants from me or maybe i don't know what i want from myself but it's killing me.