“One must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.” 

— Friedrich Nietzsche

Nietzsche was a German philosopher who was a firm believer in nihilism, the idea that our existence has no purpose outside the one we give ourselves.

When he uses “chaos” in this context, he refers to chaos in a mythological sense, which is more vast than just a synonym for “disarray” — it can also mean a space of creation and creativity. The quote should not be taken at its literal meaning, but rather is meant to say that without this space of disorganized creativity, no truly unique ideas can be born.

This quote rings true for almost anyone in a creative hobby; trying to force ideas will never end in something truly worth developing, and wanting to be creative is likely one of the least creative thoughts ever had by a human being.

It is only through chaos that one is able to create something truly amazing.

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