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If we listened to our intellect we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go in business because we'd be cynical: 'It's gonna go wrong.' Or 'She's going to hurt me.' Or,'I've had a couple of bad love affairs, so therefore . . .' Well, that's nonsense. You're going to miss life. You've got to jump off the cliff all the time and build your wings on the way down.

Ray Bradbury#39

LifeCourageDecisionRisk

About this quote

What does it mean?
Life requires risk despite intellect warning against it.
In plain terms
Logic tells you not to take risks, but you must leap to live.
What can you take from it?
Take risks even if logic warns against them.

Where it applies

  • career decisions
  • relationships

Putting it to work

  • accept uncertainty
  • pursue passion

Questions to consider

  • When is it safe to leap?
  • How much risk is worth it?

Another view

Calculated risk is often wiser than blind leaps.

More from Ray Bradbury

  1. Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a landmine. The landmine is me. After the explosion, I spent the rest of the day putting the pieces together.

    Permalink to quote #38
  2. If you dream the proper dreams, and share the myths with people, they will want to grow up to be like you.

    Permalink to quote #40
  3. Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do thin…

    Permalink to quote #37

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