In addition to this concept would be the thought…
In addition to this concept would be the thought of a sculptor who chips away at a piece of stone to create a piece of art. Michelangelo used to say that his task is a sculptor was cutting away the surrounding material to allow the pre-existing form of what he was trying to create come to life. This can be used to help us shape ourselves either in freedom or in restraint to be the best that we could be.
— from Before Takeoff (front matter) · GB oral dictation
In the book
I ask only one thing — that you give my strokes real thought before you wipe them away. Michelangelo said that his job as a sculptor was only to chip away the surrounding stone and let the figure that was already inside come out; you can shape yourself the same way, whether in freedom or in restraint. And accept early the one great paradox of all education: the truly important things about life cannot really be taught — they can only be learned, by your own endless exploration. — Before Takeoff (front matter)