"Success is a label that the world confers on you, but mastery is an ever-onward 'almost.'"
About Sarah Lewis
Sarah Lewis — Life and Legacy
Sarah Lewis is an influential art historian and author, known for her exploration of the intersections between creativity, resilience, and the transformative power of art. Her notable work, 'The Rise', delves into how failure can be a catalyst for success, challenging conventional narratives around achievement. Lewis posits that creativity is not merely an innate talent but a way of operating that can be developed through experience and perseverance. This perspective is encapsulated in her assertion that 'creativity is not a talent, it's a way of operating', which invites individuals to rethink their potential for creative expression. Through her quotes and writings, Lewis emphasizes the importance of resilience, particularly in the face of setbacks. She argues that the creative process is often fraught with challenges, yet these obstacles can lead to deeper insights and innovative outcomes. By advocating for a broader understanding of creativity, she encourages a mindset that embraces experimentation and risk-taking. Lewis's ideas resonate in today's world, where the ability to adapt and innovate is more crucial than ever. Her insights not only inspire artists but also offer valuable lessons for anyone navigating the complexities of personal and professional growth.
Quote collection
Sarah Lewis quotes
16 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"Grit is not just simple elbow-grease term for rugged persistence. It is an often invisible display of endurance that lets you stay in an uncomfortable place, work hard to improve upon a given interest, and do it again and again."
"Mastery requires endurance. Mastery, a word we don’t use often, is not the equivalent of what we might consider its cognate—perfectionism—an inhuman aim motivated by a concern with how others view us. Mastery is also not the same as success—an event-based victory based on a peak point, a punctuated moment in time. Mastery is not merely a commitment to a goal, but to a curved-line, constant pursuit."
"Masters are not experts because they take a subject to its conceptual end. They are masters because they realize that there isn't one. On utterly smooth ground, the path from aim to attainment is in the permanent future."
"We thrive not when we've done it all, but when we still have more to do."
"Mastery is in the reaching, not in the arriving."
"Pain is not a punishment. And pleasure is not a reward. You could argue that failure is not punishment and Success is not reward. They're just failure and success. You can choose how you respond."
"To reach an audacious goal, we sometimes benefit from having it lie just beyond our grasp."
"I wanted a business that I didn't have to give my life to - something simple, beautiful and branded. The kind of endeavor where I could meet people but still blow people's minds with a very inspiring point of view. So, a shoe store."
"Shoes are money well spent and a good metaphor for life: everything else in life may be awful but a shoe will cheer me up, lift my body and take an outfit up five levels. Plus, shoes are easy to carry and fun to collect."
"A near win shifts our view of the landscape. It can turn future goals, which we tend to envision at a distance, into more proximate events. We consider temporal distance as we do spatial distance. (Visualize a great day tomorrow and we see it with granular, practical clarity. But picture what a great day in the future might be like, not tomorrow but fifty years from now, and the image will be hazier.)"
"Completion is a goal, but we hope it is never the end."
"The pursuit of mastery is an ever-onward almost."
"Coming close to what you thought you wanted can help you attain what you never dreamed you could."
"Mastery is in constantly wanting to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be."
"Play allows us to maintain curiosity while learning."