Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work.

Gustave Flaubert’s quote suggests that maintaining order and discipline in one’s personal life provides the necessary foundation for creativity and innovation in one’s work. Flaubert implies that by adhering to a regular and structured routine in daily life, individuals can free up their minds and energy to be truly violent (in the sense of being intense, bold, and uncompromising) and original in their creative pursuits. The order in one's personal life serves as a stabilizing force, allowing room for creative expression without the distractions or chaos of unorganized living.

The phrase "violent and original in your work" highlights the importance of passion and authenticity in creative endeavors. Flaubert is not advocating for aggression but for a powerful, unfiltered approach to one's craft. He suggests that true innovation often requires a departure from conventional thinking, which can be a form of intellectual and emotional intensity. Creativity, to Flaubert, demands courage and the willingness to break norms, but this boldness is only possible if one's life is rooted in stability and order.

Flaubert’s quote reflects his own life as a writer, which was marked by an intense commitment to his craft. He was known for his meticulous attention to detail and his devotion to producing works of literary significance, particularly his masterpiece, Madame Bovary. His approach to writing required both a disciplined routine and a willingness to explore complex, often uncomfortable, human emotions with originality and boldness.

Originating from the famous French novelist, this quote embodies Flaubert’s belief in the importance of structure for achieving artistic greatness. He was a firm believer in professionalism and the need for careful planning, but also in the necessity of emotional and intellectual freedom to produce truly innovative work. His own life was a balance of rigor in his writing and an intense, sometimes radical, engagement with the world through his literature.