Working at Creativity

James Jorach, one of the creators of Priceline, argues in Psychology Today (November 2010; psychologytoday.com) that creativity comes from good old-fashioned effort.  He observes...

"Creativity has been put up on such a pedestal.  When the media says, 'This person is creative,' it's almost always paired with the word 'genius,' and that turns off a lot of people because they say, 'I'm not a Mozart.' Unfortunately, creativity is also drained by schools, which teaches kids that there is one answer.  So creativity that happens is in art class.  People associate it with the arts and being for the anointed few struck by lightening.  In reality, it's much less exciting.  It's something everyone can do — and like everything else, it takes practice."

"You get engaged in a creative endeavor every day.  Does it mean you paint every day?  No, there's creativity in everything.  If you're a chess player, play with different opening moves.  If you cook, vary recipes, add an ingredient.  Creativity is not creating a masterpiece — it's creating something new....  Often someone comes up with an idea that everyone laughs at but turns out to have a nugget that, when someone else hears it and gives it a twist, becomes a good idea."

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