Ethan Hawke: Give Yourself Permission to Be Creative⁠↗

Highlights

and how we spend it ⁠—

are we spending it doing what’s important to us?

Most of us not.

I mean, it’s hard.

The pull of habit is so huge,

and that’s what makes kids so beautifully creative,

is that they don’t have any habits,

and they don’t care if they’re any good or not, right?

They’re not building a sandcastle going,

“I think I’m going to be a really good sandcastle builder.”

They just throw themselves at whatever project you put in front of them ⁠—

dancing, doing a painting,

building something:

any opportunity they have,

they try to use it to impress upon you their individuality.

because it can have this kind of feel that it’s just nice,

you know, or it’s warm or it’s something pleasant.

It’s not.

It’s vital.

It’s the way we heal each other.

if you want to help your friends,

you have to express yourself.

And to express yourself, you have to know yourself.

It’s actually super easy.

You just have to follow your love.

There is no path.

and you have to be willing to play the fool.

So don’t read the book that you should read,

read the book you want to read.

Don’t listen to the music that you used to like.

Take some time to listen to some new music.

Take some time to talk to somebody that you don’t normally talk to.

I guarantee, if you do that,

you will feel foolish.

That’s the point.

Play the fool.

Invite our friends over but still be alone.

Live for danger.

Play it cool.

Have everyone respect me for being a fool.