I finished the book Creative Superpowers by Laura Jordan Bombach and wrote down the following notes. I enjoyed the book and it made me think about creativity, and the importance of creativity, in a different way.
Learn to collaborate
The key to creativity is not accumulating knowledge, but rather collaborating with others and trusting your instincts. Being familiar with a subject can limit creative thinking. A fresh perspective, such as from an outsider in an industry, can lead to innovative ideas. Working with others can also lead to more creativity, as multiple people can come up with more ideas together. This collaborative process can be compared to children playing in a sandbox, where innovations happen quickly through interaction.
Make time to rest and relax
To boost creativity, it is important to abandon old ideas and allow yourself time for rest and relaxation. Creative thinking requires coming up with new solutions, which often involves discarding ideas that do not work. Getting enough rest and relaxation allows the brain to process and organize memories and dreams, which can be sources of inspiration. It is important to set aside time for relaxation and leisure activities, as these moments can lead to sudden flashes of inspiration.
Honesty, but with love and respect
To stay creative, it is important to be brutally honest and prioritize values such as love and respect. In a creative field, it is important to speak honestly about what you think and not be swayed by potential financial gain from promoting poor products. Love and respect are important values to incorporate into creative work, as they are values that are appreciated by humans and can lead to work that is meaningful and cherished. Creatives who embody these values, such as Steve Jobs, the Rolling Stones, and Steven Spielberg, are highly regarded.
It’s about serendipity
Creativity is often the result of serendipity, or unexpected connections made during unstructured or relaxed activity, rather than conscious efforts to be creative. The prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for logical tasks, can filter out the irrelevant information that is important for creativity. Allowing thoughts to mix freely and embracing randomness can foster creativity, and activities that allow the prefrontal cortex to switch off, such as flying a kite or lounging in a hammock, can also lead to creative insights. The creative process often thrives in a messy, unstructured environment. Examples of this include Steve Jobs’ calligraphy course and interest in kitchen equipment, which both influenced the design of Apple products.
Be bored. Be messy
There are several techniques that can help unlock creativity, including boredom and creating a messy workspace. Boredom can stimulate the brain to seek distraction, leading to more creative solutions. A messy workspace can also stimulate creativity, as it includes a range of visually interesting objects that can trigger new ideas. Studies have shown that people are more creative when working in a messy room than in a tidy one.
Take a hike
Going for a walk can be a great way to stimulate creativity and gain new insights. Philosophers such as Nietzsche and Rousseau have long recognized the benefits of walking for thinking and developing ideas. Walking allows for a focus on the senses and surroundings, and can be done with a purpose, such as seeking an answer to a question or problem. Sharing the experiences and observations from a walk with someone else can also lead to new insights and ideas.
Focus on learning new skills
In today’s rapidly changing world, it is more important to be able to pick up new skills quickly rather than accumulate a lot of knowledge. With the availability of information at our fingertips through technology such as the internet and virtual assistants, the value of knowledge stored in the human brain has decreased. Instead, the ability to adapt and learn new skills quickly is more valuable in today’s society.