“Be a mere assistant to your unconscious. Do only half the work. The rest will do itself.”

— Jean Cocteau

Diary of an Unknown (1988)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Be a mere assistant to your unconscious. Do only half the work. The rest will do itself." by Jean Cocteau?

Jean Cocteau 123

French poet, novelist, dramatist, designer, boxing manager … 1889–1963

Related quotes

“Can a conscious entity do anything for itself that an unconscious”

Daniel Dennett (1942) American philosopher

"The Evolution of Consciousness," Consciousness and Emotion in Cognitive Science: Conceptual and Empirical Issues (1998) ed. Josefa Toribio & Andy Clark
Context: We now understand how very complex and even apparently intelligent phenomena, such as genetic coding, the immune system, and low-level visual processing, can be accomplished without a trace of consciousness. But this seems to uncover an enormous puzzle of just what, if anything, consciousness is for. Can a conscious entity do anything for itself that an unconscious (but cleverly wired up) simulation of that entity couldn't do for itself?

“Whatever in the gospel will not interfere with what we like to do, or feel we must do, we gladly believe; and to the rest we close our eyes. Most of us do this half-unconsciously, perhaps, but in our innermost selves we can hardly help knowing that we are not Christians, and that there is in the gospel something fundamental—a vital message, an essence—which we do not wish to understand.”

Robert Hunter (author) (1874–1942) American sociologist, author, golf course architect

Source: Why We Fail as Christians (1919), p. 7

“There lay certitude; there, in the daily round. All the rest hung on mere threads and trivial contingencies; you couldn't waste your time on it. The thing was to do your job as it should be done.”

Albert Camus book The Plague

The Plague (1947)

“Do your best and let God do the rest.”

Ben Carson (1951) 17th and current United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; American neurosurgeon

Source: Think Big (1996), p. 255

“The first thing you have to know about writing is that it is something you must do everyday. There are two reasons for this rule: Getting the work done and connecting with your unconscious mind.”

Walter Mosley (1952) American writer

“Do a good job. You don't have to worry about the money; it will take care of itself. Just do your best work — then try to trump it.”

Walt Disney (1901–1966) American film producer and businessman

Source: How to Be Like Walt : Capturing the Magic Every Day of Your Life (2004), Ch. 6 : Triumph to Tragedy

“Do not merely practice your art, but force your way into its secrets; it deserves that, for only art and science can exalt man to divinity.”

Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770–1827) German Romantic composer

Fahre fort, übe nicht allein die Kunst, sondern dringe auch in ihr Inneres; sie verdient es, denn nur die Kunst und die Wissenschaft erhöhen den Menschen bis zur Gottheit.
Letter to Emilie, July 17, 1812.
Quoted in Musical news, Vol. 3 (1892), p. 627

“Do your duty, and leave the rest to heaven.”

Pierre Corneille (1606–1684) French tragedian

Faites votre devoir, et laissez faire aux dieux.
Le vieil Horace, act II, scene viii.
Horace (1639)

“Assist a man in raising a burden; but do not assist him in laying it down.”

Pythagoras (-585–-495 BC) ancient Greek mathematician and philosopher

Symbol 11
The Symbols

“The state will only ever be a half of itself.”

Socrates (-470–-399 BC) classical Greek Athenian philosopher

Socrates in Plato's Republic talking about women lacking rights. As quoted by Bettany Hughes: "Feminism started with the Buddha and Confucius 25 centuries ago" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-life/11785181/Feminism-started-with-the-Buddha-and-Confucius-25-centuries-ago.html.
Attributed

“Be a mere assistant to your unconscious. Do only half the work. The rest will do itself.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Jean Cocteau 123

Related quotes

Related topics