Emil Cioran Quotes

The world doesn't need any more mediocrity or hedged bets.

In the republic of mediocrity, genius is dangerous.

If I'm doing something I know I can pull off, then that's not the book I should be writing.

A writer who is afraid to overreach himself is as useless as a general who is afraid to be wrong.

No one was ever great without some portion of divine inspiration.

I probably have genius. But no talent.

Genius is talent set on fire by courage.

One of the biggest obstacles I've overcome in my life was thinking I didn't deserve to be successful. Artistically I'm not as much of a heavyweight as someone like Paul Simon or Joni Mitchell, because I'm not a creator of original music, and I worried about that for years.

We allow no geniuses around our Studio.

Young men and young women, full of courage, originality, and genius, are everywhere to be met with.

Not everyone can say, 'I'm going to write a classic today.' If that was the case, we'd all be doing it.

It is good taste, and good taste alone, that possesses the power to sterilize and is always the first handicap to any creative functioning.

People have laughed at all great inventors and discoverers.

We can raise our sights high when we're willing to break free from being conformists who live a conventional life simply because we are too afraid to express our uniqueness.

If you fear making anyone mad, then you ultimately probe for the lowest common denominator of human achievement.

For me, I love to dream big, and I love to find ways to be a bit of an explorer. These days, it seems like everything is padded and comes with warning labels.

Genius worship is the inevitable sign of an uncreative age.

Since when was genius found respectable?

Mediocrity can talk, but it is for genius to observe.

Most of our pocket wisdom is conceived for the use of mediocre people, to discourage them from ambitious attempts, and generally console them in their mediocrity.

Ridicule is the tribute paid to the genius by the mediocrities.

Genius is knowing where to stop.

Genius is talent exercised with courage

Mediocrity never goes away - but neither, I hope, do those who are willing to challenge it.

It is much easier to imitate something else that you know is accepted and loved than it is to look inside and follow your own compass, because you have no idea if you'll be accepted, if you'll be right, if your ideas are good, if your way is a path to success.