Neil Patrick Harris Quotes

One thing about creativity is, when you feel confident and respected, you're more likely to pitch more interesting stuff because you're not as precious with it. You feel like, 'This is going to land, and I'm going to be supported in this.'

I think, initially, working on your own is really great because it allows you to just be really free and not worry about how things are perceived or if people are going to think you're an idiot. And once that becomes ingrained, at least for me, I think I'll feel really comfortable to work with other people and still feel that same freedom.

We're just one cog in this giant machine. You show up and look at all the other cogs like, "Wow, everyone is the best at what they do." You're in really good hands. And that frees you up to play and feel safe, and you can take chances, creatively. You can take risks. I want to show up to work and take risks. I don't ever want to play it safe.

The spirit of jazz is the spirit of openness.

I think when you've had success, publishers and reviewers and readers are willing to let you try something new if you've already proven yourself. They're excited about what you're doing, you have people interested in it, and actually waiting for it. It's empowering.

Don't ever try and be like anybody else and don't be afraid to take risks.

You can't be controlling in improv.

I'm never worried about being upstaged. I love to have the best, most individual people come in and see if we hit on something.

When I'm working with improv people, I give them the green light to just bring it and try things.

When I do comedy, I lose all inhibition and introspection. I no longer care.

You have to be able to fail with the improv. You have to not care.

Nothing makes an actor feel freer and more inventive and more creative than being trusted.

When people feel safe, they can come up with ideas.

I guess I say this for younger actors out there: you have to be brave, and you have to be ready to fail, and that's the only way you can be unique. So when a director is confident enough in what they're doing, and they allow their actors to be brave and bring in stuff, the more likely it's going to work out okay.

There are people who have really high expectations for what we're doing. I have to not think about that so that I can be free and play around every day and not feel like I have to get it right. You want to be loose.

Without trust, the most essential element of innovation - conflict - becomes impossible.

You've got to let your talents shine and play and trust the guys you play with.

I'm willing to fail, my producers are willing to fail, my crew is willing to fail.

I believe that 20-somethings would be more likely to embrace experimentation - and provide additional value - if they felt safe to do so.

Play around. Dive into absurdity and write. Take chances. You will succeed if you are fearless of failure.

I felt like people really do their best work when they're having a really good time and feel safe to push the envelope and make a jackass out of themselves.

You have to be able to feel like you can play way outside of the box. If you're with a great filmmaker and someone you can trust, that's encouraged, and Seth was that kind of filmmaker and co-star.

When you're young, you're fearless and more creative, more of an outsider.

The only way to do is just to go for it, otherwise it ends up looking phoney.

I'm going to speak my mind because I have nothing to lose.