He had always wanted to write music, and he could give no other identity to the thing he sought. If you want to know what it is, he told himself, listen to the first phrases of Tchaikovsky’s First Concerto--or the last movement of Rachmaninoff’s Second. Men have not found the words for it, nor the deed nor the thought, but they have found the music. Let me see that in one single act of man on earth. Let me see it made real. Let me see the answer to the promise of that music. Not servants nor those served; not altars and immolations; but the final, the fulfilled, innocent of pain. Don’t help me or serve me, but let me see it once, because I need it. Don’t work for my happiness, my brothers--show me yours--show me that it is possible--show me your achievement--and the knowledge will give me courage for mine. Ayn Rand
About This Quote

They say that you should never let the fear of losing keep you from taking risks, that it’s better to be second-best than to never even try. But I’d like to think that if you can give up on your idea, if your dream doesn’t fit in the niche of the market, then it’s not really worth pursuing. You can still go after it, but at least you know you did everything you could for it. If your idea is something that no one else will ever want, then there may be no point in risking your time and effort for it--it’s just not worth it.

Source: The Fountainhead

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