Daniel Pink

We need to have the belief in ourselves that if we can generate sufficient ideas and are comfortable with that generative process, then we can make creativity a regular, normal part of our lives.

We need to have the belief in ourselves that if we can generate sufficient ideas and are comfortable with that generative process, then we can make creativity a regular, normal part of our lives.

We need to have the belief in ourselves that if we can generate sufficient ideas and are comfortable with that generative process, then we can make creativity a regular, normal part of our lives.

Yeah, we tend to, I guess, downplay it. You know, a little sucking here and there is good for the soul. I'm reminded of another anecdote. Thomas Edison, when he was trying to improve on the light bulb, he kept trying and trying for months and months. A reporter from a local newspaper was sent to interview him. And he said, Mr. Edison, it seems like you're trying and trying and you keep failing.

Yeah, we tend to, I guess, downplay it. You know, a little sucking here and there is good for the soul. I'm reminded of another anecdote. Thomas Edison, when he was trying to improve on the light bulb, he kept trying and trying for months and months. A reporter from a local newspaper was sent to interview him. And he said, Mr. Edison, it seems like you're trying and trying and you keep failing.

Yeah, we tend to, I guess, downplay it. You know, a little sucking here and there is good for the soul. I'm reminded of another anecdote. Thomas Edison, when he was trying to improve on the light bulb, he kept trying and trying for months and months. A reporter from a local newspaper was sent to interview him. And he said, Mr. Edison, it seems like you're trying and trying and you keep failing.

And Thomas Edison looked the reporter in the eye and said, you know what? I haven't failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that don't work. So it's our concept of failure. Failure is a normal part of the creative process.

And Thomas Edison looked the reporter in the eye and said, you know what? I haven't failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that don't work. So it's our concept of failure. Failure is a normal part of the creative process.

And Thomas Edison looked the reporter in the eye and said, you know what? I haven't failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that don't work. So it's our concept of failure. Failure is a normal part of the creative process.

If we're willing to understand and accept the fact that there will be lots and lots of failures and Thomas Edison's case, 10,000 failures, then we give ourselves permission to be more creative, to think outside the box, to use a very hackneyed phrase.

If we're willing to understand and accept the fact that there will be lots and lots of failures and Thomas Edison's case, 10,000 failures, then we give ourselves permission to be more creative, to think outside the box, to use a very hackneyed phrase.

If we're willing to understand and accept the fact that there will be lots and lots of failures and Thomas Edison's case, 10,000 failures, then we give ourselves permission to be more creative, to think outside the box, to use a very hackneyed phrase.

Yeah, and you used a key word, it's different. We may think that Bob's painting sucks, but it's Bob's expression. It's his way of looking at the world. If we apply arbitrary criteria, assessment tools to it, everyone says Bob's painting sucks. Bob may say, you know, I'm okay with this. I've expressed myself on a piece of paper. I've done what I've set out to do. And I'm okay with that.

Yeah, and you used a key word, it's different. We may think that Bob's painting sucks, but it's Bob's expression. It's his way of looking at the world. If we apply arbitrary criteria, assessment tools to it, everyone says Bob's painting sucks. Bob may say, you know, I'm okay with this. I've expressed myself on a piece of paper. I've done what I've set out to do. And I'm okay with that.

Yeah, and you used a key word, it's different. We may think that Bob's painting sucks, but it's Bob's expression. It's his way of looking at the world. If we apply arbitrary criteria, assessment tools to it, everyone says Bob's painting sucks. Bob may say, you know, I'm okay with this. I've expressed myself on a piece of paper. I've done what I've set out to do. And I'm okay with that.

And he gives himself permission to venture out. and try things um there is another a wonderful study where a a presenter and i think it was part of a ted talk uh invited an audience to each take a sheet of paper and a pencil turn to the person next to you and in the next 30 seconds draw a portrait of that individual The people were working and very hard, diligent.

And he gives himself permission to venture out. and try things um there is another a wonderful study where a a presenter and i think it was part of a ted talk uh invited an audience to each take a sheet of paper and a pencil turn to the person next to you and in the next 30 seconds draw a portrait of that individual The people were working and very hard, diligent.

And he gives himself permission to venture out. and try things um there is another a wonderful study where a a presenter and i think it was part of a ted talk uh invited an audience to each take a sheet of paper and a pencil turn to the person next to you and in the next 30 seconds draw a portrait of that individual The people were working and very hard, diligent.

30 seconds, he said, how many of you, when you were sharing that portrait with your partner, said, oh, I'm not a very good artist, or I can't paint very well, or I'm sorry for all of this. And every hand in the audience went up. He did that with a group of kindergarten kids and asked that question and no hands went up. What's interesting is kids have this very imaginative view of the world.

30 seconds, he said, how many of you, when you were sharing that portrait with your partner, said, oh, I'm not a very good artist, or I can't paint very well, or I'm sorry for all of this. And every hand in the audience went up. He did that with a group of kindergarten kids and asked that question and no hands went up. What's interesting is kids have this very imaginative view of the world.