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Quote by Doris Lessing

“There is only one real sin, and that is to persuade oneself that the second-best is anything but the second-best”

Quote by Doris Lessing

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Doris Lessing
Doris Lessing

Doris Lessing was a British novelist known for her profound psychological insights and critical exploration of social and political issues. Her works covered a wide range of themes from personal experiences to global concerns, including colonialism, gender roles, and women's liberation. Lessing's writing style is unique and vivid, and she has had a significant impact on postcolonial and feminist literature. more

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“If you can't do what you long to do, go do something else. Go walk the dog, go pick up every bit of trash on the street outside your home, go walk the dog again, go bake a peach cobbler, go paint some pebbles with brightly colored nail polish and put them in a pile. You might think it's procrastiantion, but - with the right intention - it isn't; it's motion. And any motion whatsoever beats inertia, because inspiration will always be drawn to motion.”

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“Passion can seem intimidatingly out of reach at times - a distant tower of flame, accessible only to geniuses and to those who are specially touched by God. But curiosity is a milder, quieter, more welcoming, and more democratic entity. The stakes of curiosity are also far lower than the stakes of passion. [...] Curiosity only ever asks one simple question: "Is there anything you're interested in?" Anything? Even a tiny bit? No matter how mundane or small? The answer need not set your life on fire, or make you quit your job [...]; it just has to capture your attention for a moment. But in that moment, if you can pause and identify even one tiny speck of interest in something, then curiosity will ask you to turn your head a quarter of an inch and look at the thing a wee bit closer. Do it. It's a clue. It might seem like nothing, but it's a clue. Follow that clue. Trust it. See where curiosity will lead you next.”

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