If you don't ask "why this?" often enough, somebody will ask "why you?"

If you hit every time the target's too near.
- Tom Hirshfield, Inventor

Nothing is more dangerous than an idea when it is the only one you have.
- Emile Chartier, Philosopher

The best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas
- Linus Paulin, Nobel Prize winner

If you spend too much time warming up, you'' miss the race. If you don't warm up at all, you may not finish the race.
- Grant Heidrich, Runner

My objective is technical perfection. I can strive inceasingly to this end, since I am certain of never being able to attain it. The important thing is to get nearer to it all the time. Art, no doubt, has other effects, but the artist, in my opinion, should have no other aim.
- Maurice Ravel

I don't know anything about music. In my line, you don't have to.
-Elvis Presley

Writing music can be intense work, and like any intense work, taking a break helps keep the juices flowing.

Do I ask too much of myself? Probably, my wife always says so. I do think it's important to aim high, but the drawback to that mindset is all the stress it can create. Because let's face it, how many Bachs have there been in history? So the paradox is you should always aim for the top, but when the top is Bach, well, good luck buddy.

So I have found that tension builds up easily when I compose, and I have become increasingly aware of this. So recently I have started taking very frequent short breaks. Just walk over to the computer, check my email, come back, that sort of thing. I don't beat myself up over this (I used to) and I come right back to work.

That little break, which occurs every 10 minutes or so, makes a big difference. I find ideas more easily and without tension. It's like a little pressure valve. Just open it for a second, let out some steam, get back to work.

Email is okay, but Google is bad.