Top Takeaway:
Uncertainty is a key element to the creative process – let’s embrace it!
Overview
You might recognize the author’s name? Yes, that’s the same John Cleese who’s been writing and acting for decades. Famous for smart, witty comedies such as Monty Python and “A Fish Called Wanda.”
Mr. Cleese’s book in a great introduction to the concept of creativity as a new way of thinking about things. He quickly calls out that creativity is not just relegated to the arts, coming up with new ideas happens in all industries. I’m a bigger proponent of this as well – creativity is different than being artistic. Anyone can learn to be creative!
This is such a fun – well as the subtitle suggest – cheerful read! Mr. Cleese’s humor is on full display throughout the book as he provides frameworks for how to be creative as well as how our brains even get new ideas.
He cites several studies about creativity research including on from Berkeley which studied creative architects. That study found architects who were more creative, more innovative, allowed and certainly enjoyed play in their process. The more interesting finding to me is these creative architects deferred decisions as long as time allowed! This gave their brains time and space for ideas to simmer and cook, which, as Mr. Cleese points out, is vital for our conscious AND unconscious minds.
Here’s a passage from page 59 which describes that a bit:
So when we are in touch with our unconscious, it sends us hints and gentle nudges, and that’s why we have to be quiet. That’s why we’re practicing a kind of meditation. Because if we don’t, if instead we are running around, looking at our watches and checking our smartphones, there’s not a hope in hell that we’re going to notice the subtle messages we’re being sent.
And as fascinating as that is, it’s not even my top takeaway! That designation goes to the idea that creative people are more comfortable living with uncertainty, for uncertainty and even some chaos is an important part of the creative process.
Many of us get frustrated when ideas aren’t flowing, when we might be stymied, but this chaos is actually to be expected, even embraced.
There are so many other great nuggets in here – I definitely recommend it for those who’d like an introduction to the creative process.