John Steinbeck Quotes

Generally, when I wake up in the morning I set out a series of problems for myself and I write them down, and when I'm sleeping, my mind solves the problems. When I wake up in the morning, I have more clarity on the issue.

Metaphorically speaking, of course, if I put a problem behind my pillow and fall asleep, very often because my brain went to sleep with that idea or the problem alive, very often in the middle of the night I wake up, and I wake up with a solution or with a direction of solution.

A lot of problems get solved in those sort of in-between moments when your subconscious has been working on some problem. If you keep it spinning, you can fix ideas sometimes better than if you focus on them directly.

The mind does most of its best thinking when we aren't there. The answers are there in the morning.

One's mind has a way of making itself up in the background, and it suddenly becomes clear what one means to do.

Complex tasks are often better handled in the back of our mind, and that's often true of creative tasks - when you have something complex to deal with in writing or research or responding to an email. I'll start working, put it aside, and sometimes I'll wake up the next morning with a solution, or I'll find one when I exercise.

I believe there are techniques of the human mind whereby, in its dark deep, problems are examined, rejected or accepted. Such activities sometimes concern facets a man does not know he has. How often one goes to sleep troubled and full of pain, not knowing what causes the travail, and in the morning a whole new direction and a clearness is there, maybe the results of the black reasoning. And again there are mornings when ecstasy bubbles in the blood, and the stomach and chest are tight and electric with joy, and nothing in the thoughts to justify it or cause it.

The period of time just before you awaken is the time I have my most creative thoughts and discover the best solutions.

Remember that we can only in our forebrains handle 5-7 items. Our backbrains can handle massive amounts. So when you're given a problem, think about it before you go sleep, and chances are you can solve it by the next morning.

It's when you've stopped writing and are doing other things, especially when you're asleep, that the real work is done.

When you stop thinking about something, the idea comes to you. It seems to work.

My real thinking and planning gets done when I'm doing something else like driving or walking or taking the shower.

When I wake up, if I can't figure something out during the daytime and then wake up at 4 A.M., it's there immediately. I don't know if it's the subconscious mind working, but it just happens.

If you know that most processing is below the level of awareness, you learn the value of sleep. You're brain is working on the problem anyway.

Something happens when your subconscious goes to work... That's why 'Sleep on it' is an adage.

My mother used to say, "Tell your brain you want that piece of information or you want to solve this problem, and then just walk away from it. Just forget about it. Just do something else, completely distract yourself, and you'll see, it's like a computer. Eventually, it will deliver it up." And I find that's really true.

The best place to solve a problem is on paper.

Sometimes I just need somebody to tell me a bunch of ideas I don't like, so that I can figure out what it is I actually want.

Logic is a wonderful thing but doesn't always beat actual thought.

Never listen to music when you're trying go come up with a Big Idea.

There, that is our secret: go to sleep! You will wake, and remember, and understand.

You can never discard too many bad ideas.

The best thoughts most often come in the morning after waking, while still in bed or while walking.

Hunches [are] just messages from the subconscious, which [is] thinking furiously all the time and processing information we have not consciously noted.

Sleep can completely change your entire outlook on life. One good night's sleep can help you realize that you shouldn't break up with someone, or you are being too hard on your friend, or you actually will win the race or the game or get the job. Sleep helps you win at life.