The Art and Science of Creativity - [English]: Tom Kelley at TEDxTokyo

Summary

In this engaging talk, the speaker explores the 'Art and Practical Science of Creativity,' debunking the myth that creativity is solely an art form by highlighting scientific research that supports practical methods to enhance creativity. The speaker presents five actionable ideas, including choosing creativity, capturing ideas, gaining mental distance, switching off self-critique, and leveraging morning moments for inspiration. These strategies aim to help individuals unleash their creative potential in daily life.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The historical belief was that creativity was an art form, separate from the analytical nature of science.
• 🗣️ The speaker humorously admits their limited Japanese skills, setting a light-hearted tone for the speech on creativity.
• 🧚‍♀️ Ancient Greeks attributed creative thought to the divine intervention of Muses, highlighting the romanticized view of creativity.
• 🔬 Modern science and psychology have been working to demystify creativity, suggesting it can be understood and enhanced through practical means.
• 🚀 The first key idea is to 'choose' creativity, emphasizing that extraordinary creativity is a deliberate decision rather than a passive gift.
• 📝 The second idea is about capturing ideas, suggesting that using a 'capture device' can significantly increase the retention of creative thoughts.
• 🔢 The 'math of creative yield' implies that capturing more ideas can exponentially increase the potential for creative solutions.
• 🌐 The third idea involves gaining mental distance from a problem, which research suggests can lead to more creative answers.
• 🎼 The fourth idea is about the importance of turning off self-critique during creative processes, as demonstrated by studies on jazz musicians.
• 🛌 The final idea is leveraging the early morning hours when the brain is less influenced by the frontal cortex, which can inhibit creativity.
• 📅 The speaker shares a personal anecdote of how using the 'muse button' on their alarm clock led to the spontaneous generation of a talk outline.
• 🌟 The overarching message is to encourage the audience to harness the practical science of creativity to unlock their unique creative potential.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the speech?

The central theme of the speech is 'The Art and Practical Science of Creativity,' exploring the intersection of creativity with scientific and psychological research to provide practical ways to enhance one's creativity.

Why did the speaker initially consider speaking in Japanese?

The speaker initially considered speaking in Japanese but admitted that their Japanese isn't very good, which is why they decided to speak in English instead.

What is the historical perspective on creativity mentioned in the speech?

The historical perspective mentioned is that for thousands of years, civilizations, such as the ancient Greeks, believed creativity to be pure art, separate from science, and attributed creative thoughts to the influence of Muses.

What is the first practical idea the speaker shares to boost creativity?

The first practical idea is to choose to be creative, emphasizing that all creative people the speaker researched had made a conscious decision to be creative at some point in their lives.

What is the significance of capturing ideas according to the speech?

Capturing ideas is significant because our short-term memory is fleeting, and capturing ideas can increase the creative yield, providing more material to work with when finding solutions.

How does the speaker suggest using mental distance to enhance creativity?

The speaker suggests using mental distance by imagining the problem comes from another country or by thinking like a person from a different age, which can lead to more creative answers.

What does the speaker say about the role of self-critique in creativity?

The speaker mentions that self-critique can hinder creativity, citing Dr. Charles Limb's research showing that the brain region associated with self-critique deactivates during creative tasks like jazz improvisation.

What is the 'muse button' concept introduced by the speaker?

The 'muse button' concept refers to using the snooze button on an alarm clock to allow the mind to wander in a state of relaxed attention, potentially generating new ideas before fully waking up.

How did the speaker apply the ideas from the speech in their own life?

The speaker applied these ideas by working in a creative field, capturing ideas, practicing mental distance, switching off self-critique, and using the 'muse button' to generate ideas, which led to the creation of the talk itself.

What is the role of the frontal cortex in creativity according to Jonah Lehrer's work mentioned in the speech?

According to Jonah Lehrer's work, the frontal cortex, also known as the executive center of the brain, is good for acting like a grown-up but can hinder creativity, as it is not conducive to creative thinking.

What was the outcome of the speaker's experiment with mental distance during a client workshop?

The outcome of the experiment was highly successful, with the team generating dozens of creative ideas for bars and nightclubs immediately, such as a zero-gravity bar and a nightclub with moveable walls.