Hands, do what you're bid: Bring the balloon of the mind That bellies and drags in the wind Into its narrow shed.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Yeats advises the mind to be constrained and focused rather than letting it balloon out and lose effectiveness.
- In plain terms
- Keep your mind focused and tight instead of letting it get too big and dragged down.
- What can you take from it?
- Concentrate your mind for better results.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does freedom help or hinder your work?
- How do you balance focus and flow?
Another view
It suggests restriction is necessary for creativity which some dispute.
More from William Butler Yeats
I knew a phoenix in my youth, so let them have their day.
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