For decades, reseachers have been trying to uncover how the creative mind works and how people can become more innovative. This quote from psychologist and author R. Keith Sawyer offers an answer.
Photo by Ilya Akinshin (Shutterstock).
In a great interview with Time’s Francine Russo, Sawyer reminds us that creativity isn’t about luck, inherent creative genes, or special eureka moments, but, rather, hard work and habits. His advice:
Take risks, and expect to make lots of mistakes, because creativity is a numbers game. Work hard, and take frequent breaks, but stay with it over time. Do what you love, because creative breakthroughs take years of hard work. Develop a network of colleagues, and schedule time for freewheeling, unstructured discussions. Most of all, forget those romantic myths that creativity is all about being artsy and gifted and not about hard work. They discourage us because we’re waiting for that one full-blown moment of inspiration. And while we’re waiting, we may never start working on what we might someday create.
Also, remember to take breaks and the three B’s — bathtub, bed and bus — where our best ideas tend to jump out at us.
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