Do you have the courage to bring forth this work? The treasure that are hidden inside you are hoping you will say yes.
-- Jack Gilbert (chapter 1 paragraph 12)

Importance: This quote was spoken by Jack Gilbert to one of his students and later relayed by the student to Elizabeth Gilbert. Both Elizabeth and Jack believe that everyone is born with treasures of creativity hidden within them, but that courage is needed to bring that creativity out into the world. Belief in the inherent creativity of human beings is a concept that Elizabeth Gilbert will return to throughout the book. This quote highlights the idea that creative living is possible for everyone, if they can find the courage to embrace it and take the risk of putting it out into the world. The image of treasures hidden within recurs again in Elizabeth Gilbert's conclusion to bookend Big Magic.

Your fear will always be triggered by your creativity...
-- Elizabeth Gilbert (chapter 1 paragraph 58)