Why Creativity Is Not The Key To Success

January 13, 2024

Table of Contents

What is Creativity?

According to Britannica creativity is:

“Creativity is the ability to make or otherwise bring something new into existence, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form.”

While this is an accurate description of the terminology, it leaves out the practical use of creativity. As creativity is often the sole construct of the human mind, we cannot materialise or put it into action.

In this blog post, we are going to look at what makes or breaks an idea born out of creativity.

Step 1: Birth Of An Idea (Theory)

Creativity is a highly complex cognitive process that involves the development of new ideas, solutions or products. It is the ability to think differently and to make unique connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, with the aim of achieving original results.

The reason why some people are more creative than others is the fact that everyone draws their ideas from their biological background, upbringing, experiences and the way we perceive and process the world around us.

Being a creative person is hard. It forces your mind to go, where no one else has gone before.

What Are The Theoretical Compounds Of Creative Thinking?

Originality: the ability to come up with new ideas/solutions that are unique

Flexibility: the ability to shift focus between different perspectives and approaches

Adaptability: the capacity to adjust thinking and approaching based on feedback or unexpected obstacles

How Valuable Is The Idea?

Clarity of Purpose: what is the main objective of the idea?

Feasibility: can the idea be realistically executed?

Potential Impact: how does your idea impact you, the people around you, or the society?

Is The Idea Worth Pursuing Or Not?

It is a personal decision whether or not to pursue an idea or thought.

Manually writing down the idea or thought, giving the brain a chance to reprocess it at a different level, is very helpful. Find out why here.

Even a simple list of pros and cons can be helpful.

Step 2: Elaboration of the Idea (Theory)

In order for the idea/thought to become reality, it should be worked out and put into a structure.

Basic Structure

Core Concept: What is the main idea or solution you’re proposing?

Objectives: What goals do you aim to achieve?

Implementation Steps: What are the key phases?

Resource Requirements: Specify the resources needed for implementation.

Complex Structure

System Architecture: how will different components interact to achieve the desired outcomes?

Scalability: consider the scalability of the idea. Does it has to be scalable or not? And if yes, is that possible?

Integration: how does it fit into the broader ecosystem?

Step 3: Being In The Zone & Entering the “Flow State”

What is the does “being in zone” and “flow state” mean? And how to get in there?

The Hungarian positive psychologist Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi was the first to propose in the 70s the concept of “being in the zone” and “entering a flow state”. According to him and the American Psychological Association (APA) flow can be defined as a “state of optimal experience arising from intense involvement in an activity that is enjoyable. “. Another popular definition derives from Steven Kotler, who describes it like this: “Every action, each decision, leads effortlessly, fluidly, seamlessly to the next. It’s high-speed problem solving; it’s being swept away by the river of ultimate performance.”

When working in “the zone” and in a “state of flow” it should be remembered to work according to a definite plan and in a definite direction in order to not get lost. (Step 2)

Take Aways:

Intense Focus: external distractions seem to not exist

Time Distortion: time seems to fly by

Effortless Performance: sense of automaticity

Intrinsically Rewarding: the activity itself becomes rewarding: the journey is what begins to matter

Creativity and Problem-Solving: the mind seems to make connections effortlessly and find innovative rapid solutions

Tip: On Zapier you can find additional information on how to enter the flow state and what happens in our brain while doing so.

via GIPHY

Step 4: Putting An Idea Into Action

This is the step that should become easier after going through steps 1 – 3. Most ideas and thoughts remain theoretical, are unfinished and are not implemented because the necessary action is lacking.

5 things to consider while making the transaction from theory to action:

Market Research: is there a market for this idea?

Unique Value Proposition: what makes your idea valuable? What makes it unique?

Risk Analysis: what obstacles and challenges could you encounter along the way? And how to overcome them?

Long-Term Viability: is it a short-term trend, or does it have the potential for sustained success?

Adaptability: will your idea stay relevant also in an ever changing environment and evolving circumstances?

Conclusion

The reason why creativity alone is not the key to success is that there are more aspects and facets to success. Creativity helps with this process. Creativity is the starting point, but not the end point. There are several steps and things to consider on the way there without overwhelming yourself emotionally.

To summarise it:

Clarify Your Vision: define goals, objectives and the desired outcome ( = SMART Goals)

Create A Detailed Plan: a detailed plan includes SMART Goals as well as timelines, milestones and key tasks. Write it out creating a step by step guide in order to not get overwhelmed, but always with the main goal in mind. Don’t leave out potential obstacles and problems you could face along the way

Gather Resources And Build A Support System: this includes, depending on the idea, required resources such as financial, technological or human. Building a support system will reinforce the work process and therefore also the outcome

Stay Consistent, Persistent And Resilient

Adapt to Feedback And Potential Changes

Celebrate Small Winns

Extra

Listen to Jordan B. Peterson talking about creativity: