Top 10 Quotes – Creativity – Artists – Art – Work – Takeaways – Further Readings

Here are 100 of the best Rick Rubin quotes.

And you’ll learn a ton:

• How to be more creative
• The importance of focusing on the process
• The value of meditation and silence
• The value of simplicity in your art

But first, who’s Rick Rubin (1963- )?

• He’s a renowned American music producer (and considered one of the most influential of all time)
• He produced  for Eminem, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Johnny Cash, to name a few
• He’s the author of The Creative Act

He’s also known for his iconic beard and his practice of transcendental meditation since his teens.

This practice influenced his calm and intuitive approach to music production.

Finally, he’s also known for posting disappearing quotes on the social web (Instagram, X).

I hope you’ll find inspiration as much as I did when curating and reading these powerful artistic and life insights.

Enjoy!

Top 10 Rick Rubin Quotes

Put on your blinders and focus on creating something you love. Rick Rubin

When we’re making things we love, our mission is accomplished. Rick Rubin

Our path is to collaborate with what’s happening. Not to fight it. Rick Rubin

Any thought you have about outcome undermines the whole thing. Rick Rubin

If you’re commited to doing your best work at all times, your best work is always today. Rick Rubin

The best way to serve the audience is to ignore them. Rick Rubin

I’m not making it for them. I’m making it for me. And it turns out that when you make something truly for yourself, you’re doing the best thing you possibly can for the audience. Rick Rubin

What you have to offer is what’s inside of you. Rick Rubin

When you make something truly for yourself, you’re doing the best thing you possibly can for the audience. Rick Rubin

Through expression we meet ourselves. Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin Quotes About Creativity

Make it personal. It’s always yours. Rick Rubin

Learn to disconnect. Rick Rubin

What’s unexpressed has power. Rick Rubin

Leave room for interpretation. Rick Rubin

Innocence brings forth innovation. Rick Rubin

Follow your own inner guide. It directs us. Rick Rubin

Sometimes disengagement is the best way to engage. Rick Rubin

Look for what you notice but no one else sees. Rick Rubin

Don’t let the voices in your head stop you from feeling free. Rick Rubin

Sometimes adversity creates an environment for good things to grow. Rick Rubin

If you chase creativity it may not come. The muse doesn’t like to be observed. Rick Rubin

We are dealing in a magic realm. And nobody knows why or how it works. Rick Rubin

Creativity can just be in relationship with yourself. No one else need be in the equation. Rick Rubin

To create is to bring something into existence that wasn’t there before. Rick Rubin

In terms of priority, inspiration comes first. You come next. The audience comes last. Rick Rubin

Create an environment where you’re free to express what you’re afraid to express. Rick Rubin

If you create what you love, others will love it too. Rick Rubin

No matter what tools you use to create, the true instrument is you. Rick Rubin

Create a structure that works for you. There is no “right” way. Rick Rubin

Pay attention to the culture without being driven by the culture. Rick Rubin

Follow what’s interesting. Don’t worry about the outcome. Rick Rubin

Emotions are your source material. Rick Rubin

We find our true voice through experimentation. Rick Rubin

Most rules direct us to average behaviors. Rick Rubin

Have the confidence to jump in with both feet. Rick Rubin

We can never predict the outcome. Rick Rubin

Inspiration tends to show up in play. Rick Rubin

Always leave space for more. Rick Rubin

Related

• 100 Cal Newport Quotes (On Social Media, Deep Work, Solitude)
• 201 Steve Jobs Quotes (The Ultimate List)
• 100 Jordan Peterson Quotes On Responsibility, Order, Life

Rick Rubin Quotes About Artists

Everything we make as artists are essentially diary entries. Rick Rubin

The world is only as free as it allows its artists to be. Rick Rubin

The artist isn’t looking for a way out. He’s looking for a way in. Rick Rubin

As artists, our mission is not to fit in or conform to popular thinking. Rick Rubin

We are born artists. And then society does its best to beat it out of us. Rick Rubin

Aspiring artist have a desire to be seen. Establish artists face the pressure of knowing they’ll be seen. Rick Rubin

As artists, we seek to restore our childlike perception: a more innocent state of wonder and appreciation not tethered to utility or survival. Rick Rubin

When someone believes passionately in what they are saying, even if we don’t agree with it, we can be moved by their enthusiam. Sometimes it’s about passion, not content. Rick Rubin

Art creates a profound connection between the artist and the audience. And through that connection, both of them can heal. Rick Rubin

We tend to think of the artist’s work as the output. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world. Rick Rubin

The artist’s goal is to keep themselves pure and unattached. Rick Rubin

The synergy of a group is as important, if not more important, than the talent of the individuals. Rick Rubin

The artist is the one who recaptures that child-like fascination with the world. Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin Quotes About Art

If you get the art right, the commerce side of it works itself out. Rick Rubin

Art doesn’t come in a quarterly way. Rick Rubin

The best pieces don’t tell you what to think. Rick Rubin

Art without meaning is just decoration. The art is in the idea. Rick Rubin

The work reveals itself as you go. It tells you what it wants to be. Rick Rubin

Art doesn’t get made on the clock. But it can get finished on the clock. Rick Rubin

Measurement of greatness is subjective, like art itself. There is no hard metric. Rick Rubin

Part of the artistic journey is about connecting with something inward that is universal. Rick Rubin

Art isn’t in the tools, material, and equipment you use. It’s in the way you see the world. Rick Rubin

We have no responsibility to anything other than the art itself. The art is the final word. Rick Rubin

There is no pure ranking system for artistic success. Only you know if it’s successful or not. Rick Rubin

Sharing art is the price of making it. Exposing your vulnerability is the fee. Rick Rubin

Are you expressing yourself in service of the art, or in service of commerce? Rick Rubin

All art is a form of poetry. Rick Rubin

The audience comes last. Rick Rubin

Art is nourishment. Rick Rubin

Rick Rubin Quotes About Work

The ones who break through tend to have a work ethic to support their dream. Rick Rubin

Humanity breathes in mistakes. Rick Rubin

Be patient, however long it takes. Rick Rubin

Belief carries disproportional energy. Rick Rubin

Making a beautiful thing is a noble pursuit. Rick Rubin

Some mistakes are actually subconscious problem solving. Rick Rubin

The best work is the one you are excited about. Rick Rubin

Failure is the information you need to get where you’re going. Rick Rubin

Being aware of the audience as you’re making your work changes it. Rick Rubin

Identifying the problem can be as integral as finding the solution. Rick Rubin

Take a first step and see where it leads. The direction isn’t important yet. Rick Rubin

You’re successful as soon as you send your work out into the world. Rick Rubin

You’re making your work as a gift. Rick Rubin

Hanging on to your work is like spending years writing the same entry in a diary. Rick Rubin

The imagination has no limits. The physical world does. The work exists in both. Rick Rubin

Intentionality makes a work what it is. Money often dilutes intention. Rick Rubin

Competition serves the ego. Cooperation supports the highest outcome. Rick Rubin

Do you want to be right? Or do you want what’s best for the work? Rick Rubin

Your gift might be in an area different than the one you choose. Rick Rubin

If you don’t let it go, the process of finishing a work can be endless. Rick Rubin

Reduce your work to the absolute essentials you can’t live without. Rick Rubin

Never say you can’t do it. Say I haven’t done it yet. Rick Rubin

Work as hard as you can to be able to share it. Rick Rubin

When editing, practice non-attachment. Rick Rubin

What does the simple version look like?

Quality over deadlines. Rick Rubin

Conclusion

Strive for work so good that someone will care about it 20 years from now. Rick Rubin

Key Takeaways From Rick Rubin’s Quotes

Here are 5 simple things you can learn from Rick Rubin:

• Process > Outcome. Like Rubin teaches, don’t worry about outcomes. Focus on showing up, not on perfection. Build rituals, not pressure.
• Deep listening. Like Rubin, learn to listen to your inner voice and intuition. Quiet external noise through mindfulness or journaling.
• Simplicity. Rubin’s minimalist production style strips away excess to highlight essence. In your life, declutter physical spaces, schedules, or goals to focus on what truly matters
• Open and quiet. Rubin believes creativity comes from being receptive to the world (art, nature, culture, conversations). Read widely or explore new hobbies. Expose yourself to diverse experiences to spark new ideas.
• Authenticity and uncertainty. Rubin encourages creators to ignore what’s popular and instead focus on what feels authentic, even if it’s unconventional. So don’t seek approval. Trust your gut more than external noise.

Further Readings

• Topic: Life
• 75 Words of Wisdom From The Best Minds (Ever)
• 77 Life Lessons Quotes (To Learn And Grow)
• Rick Rubin’s Daily Routine (10-minute YouTube video with Andrew Huberman)
• Unlock Your Creativity with Rick Rubin (7-minute YouTube video with Glo)
• Rick Rubin Addresses Criticisms & OPENS UP About His Greatest Challenge in Life (1-hour-36-minute YouTube video with Jay Shetty)

I hope you enjoyed these inspiring quotes by Rick Rubin.

If you did, please share them with a friend today!

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