Imagine: How Creativity Works – Jonah Lehrer (part 3 of 3 parts)
Lehrer when writing about creativity points out some interesting facts:
A study of entrepreneurs discovered the most prolific entrepreneurs (with the most patent applications/trademarks) tended to have, beyond a few close friends, three times the number of acquaintances than the average entrepreneur. Cultivate acquaintances
In keeping with close friends, acquaintances theory quoted above Lehrer makes the point that most creativity occurs in larger cites such asNew York CityandSilicon Valleywhere people are more likely to “collide with each other (Lehrer’s term)
Lehrer has also identified what he calls the “Q” factor that is the degree to which people who are moderately connected, for example the more people on a project who ‘sort of know each other (as compared to close friend or total strangers) the higher the “Q factor. To illustrate that a high “Q factor” has a positive effect on creativity Lehrer sites a study of 2258 Broadway plays proved the most successful over the past 100 years had creative teams that were Somewhat intimate socially with a mix of new colleagues as compared to very intimate with each other or having met for the first time when they came together for the production.
Here’s my addition to being creative. I believe that creative people take risks (not foolish chances) they are willing to make a mistake or to get things wrong, but they are willing to try. To be creative you have to have a strong ego and be willing to take criticism even ridicule. The challenge here is to learn from the criticism and not obsess about the ridicule.
A life worth living is one where we take some chances do things we are not comfortable with and grow from the experience. In my judgment, if you don’t go outside of your comfort zone, at least some of the times life gets very very boring. So do something creative and really live your life.