Rick Rubin

Quotes are word for word from the source.

• Artist's true work

  “The artist's real work is a way of being in the world.”

  Our noteRick defines the essence of an artist's work beyond just the output.

• Minimalist communication

  “The idea of trying to use the least amount of information to get a point across. I would say, also, poetry probably has had an impact in that same way.”

  Our noteRick explains how minimalism and poetry influence his creative taste and work.

• Purpose of meditation

  “the goal of the practice is less about the practice. It's about the practice is to change the way you are in the world. So it's a practice for life.”

  Our noteRick explains that the benefits of meditation are meant to translate into real-world reactions.

• Building a base

  “every time you meditate, it's like making a deposit in a bank. So it's always there. Every time you do it, you're building a base.”

  Our noteRick describes the cumulative nature of a long-term meditation practice.

• Practice and adaptation

  “It's just as I said when we were doing it, it's like doing stairs. If you practice doing stairs, it gets easier to do stairs.”

  Our noteRick discusses how physical endurance improves through consistent practice.

• Timing of marketing

  “it's okay to think about outcome after you've finished the thing you're making. Once you've made it, then you can say, "Hmm, what can I do to turn people onto this?" But in the making of it, it's premature.”

  Our noteRick clarifies when it is appropriate to switch from a creative mindset to a marketing mindset.

• Origin of ideas

  “I think it's a new combination of existing ideas presented in a new way. I think that's how it works.”

  Our noteRick shares his perspective on whether truly new ideas exist or if they are combinations.

• Ignoring the rules

  “I just did what seemed right to me. But I didn't realize that I was doing things that other people wouldn't do.”

  Our noteRick reflects on how his lack of experience early in his career was actually an advantage.

• Action over talk

  “It wouldn't be so helpful for me to tell you what those were. It'd be better for us to wait till we were in a place where we could try things and see where it goes.”

  Our noteRick explains why he prefers actionable experiments over verbal feedback when producing an artist.

• Pure creative instinct

  “And I think most creativity can be boiled down to that. That's very different than, I wonder how this is going to perform on certain social media platforms.”

  Our noteRick contrasts internal creative preference with external performance metrics.

• Art vs Commerce

  “Coming up with a story with the purpose of pleasing someone else is a skill set, but it's more of a commercial endeavor than an artistic endeavor.”

  Our noteRick distinguishes between creating for an audience and creating for artistic expression.

• Presenting the obvious

  “The reason we do this is to present something new that maybe you already knew but didn't know you knew it. And for that to be the case, you have to be looking at it.”

  Our noteRick explains how creativity often involves pointing out truths that seem obvious only after they are revealed.

• Protecting the connection

  “The only part of it that we can control is how we relate to the thing that we make And any external information that undermines the clarity of that connection is probably bad for the art”

  Our noteRick warns against letting external feedback interfere with the creator's personal bond with their work.

• The power of perspective

  “It only works, it only triggers this thing in us when we look at it just the right way.”

  Our noteRick describes how a specific angle or perspective can create a magical experience.