William Gurstelle Quotes

Leonardo Da Vinci. Leonardo is arguably the world's most famous polymath. So many thoughts and so many different ideas!

I'm a writer and I also do a lot of professional speaking on risk taking and creativity as well.

I think it's important to associate with positive, upbeat people.

I work with a lot of different editors at different publishers and magazines and so on, and having a system of shared folders makes keeping track of things a snap.

I'd love to get ideas on overcoming jet lag.

There are a lot of ideas I've had that I originally was quite taken with, but over time, I lost steam. They stay on my list, but between me and you, I'm probably never going to do them.

I'm really good at building things that shoot, hurl, or throw stuff.

When I write, I love finding connections between ideas. When the connections are plentiful and strong, then I know it's a pretty good subject to write about.

I've seen Leonardo Da Vinci notebooks which are filled with tiny, messy scrawls written in mirror image across the page. I'd love to know how he kept all his projects going at once.

I spend a fair amount of time just thinking about whether something is feasible or not, and if it is feasible, whether it's really worth doing.

I have a large standalone workshop on the back of my property where I prototype and build stuff. It's bright, roomy, and has a giant door so it's easy to bring projects in or out.

Some things are better than other things: Google, Gmail, my vintage Montgomery Wards socket set (30+ years, still going strong), my Estwing framing hammer, and my Dremel rotary tool.

My home office and workshop are on an overlook on the only deep river gorge on the entire length of the Mississippi River.

There are interesting scientific and historical connections between these things that I just love.

When something good hits me, I'll use Siri to make a note so I don't forget.

I get some of my best ideas while out walking.

Every day, I walk with my dog - summer, winter (it gets -20 F in Saint Paul), rain or shine. The nicer the day, of course, the longer the walk.

I started a funny book from the 1930s called The Code of the Woosters by P. G. Wodehouse. Wodehouse is a comic genius.

In my office, I like it quiet, so I can concentrate.

Yeah, it's a weird little niche, but by God, it's my niche.

You get energy from other people, so hang out with energetic people.

Science isn't just about blowing things up. Rather it's about blowing things up and knowing how you did it.