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The Accidental Creative
Read in 14 min.
Listen in 17 min.
Learn the key ideas of the book by Todd Henry

The Accidental Creative

How to improve our creativity

What if everything we thought we knew about creativity turned out to be false? Todd Henry has been studying creativity and productivity for many years, and now attempts to dispel the myth that creative people are suddenly struck by enlightenment thanks to their innate talent and abilities. He puts forward the theory that creativity is a more rational and practical process, which requires us to work methodically and to put in the effort. Creativity can, and must, be trained, as this is the only way we will be able to get our work done and achieve great results.

The Accidental Creative
Read in 14 min.
Listen in 17 min.
IDEA CHIAVE 1/13

We have to be fully aware of the dynamics involved in creative work, and how to use them to our advantage

Today, creativity is used in many different areas of work, such as when someone uses their ideas or actions to change the way something is done, or when they produce something that did not exist before. So, aside from artists, musicians, and writers, there are also many other people, who do various kinds of jobs, which require at least a certain amount of creativity. This does not mean, however, that they simply know what they are doing from the outset, as many of them did not study for a creative career.

The advantages and rewards of creative work also come with significant drawbacks, such as the demand for constant commitment and production. What’s more, we do not always manage to come up with the right idea at the right time. In order to maintain the quality of our work, and meet the expectations of our colleagues, clients, and employers, we must learn to focus our creative energy, and we can do this through a very precise process, which begins long before our idea even comes to us. We have to train our concentration every day, by performing exercises that help ensure a certain level of productivity, and that also allow us to avoid a common issue: burnout.

  

The key ideas of "The Accidental Creative"

01.
We have to be fully aware of the dynamics involved in creative work, and how to use them to our advantage
02.
Three tips to keep in mind before approaching creative work
03.
We have to become familiar with the dynamics of creative work, in order to monitor and improve our performance
04.
The five areas of the creative rhythm: focus, relationships, energy, stimuli, and hours
05.
In order to improve our concentration, we need to follow three steps that address the problem, establish a plan, and help us stick to it
06.
Relationships allow us to combine our creative skills and be brilliant together, so that we can improve and grow
07.
We have to manage our energy and make it our ally in our creative process
08.
Stimuli and information must be functional to the creative process, and support new ideas and projects
09.
Managing our time allows us to stop wasting it and to avoid falling prey to anxiety
10.
Taking advantage of teamwork to unleash our creativity
11.
Overcoming creativity killers: dissonance, fear, and escalating expectations
12.
Quotes
13.
Take-home message
 
 
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