Praying to the muses, serendipity, eureka moments — the creative process is clouded in superstition and mystery. Despite the ability to peek into the brain and watch different areas light up on an MRI, neuroscientists are still fairly stumped about exactly what happens during bursts of creative inspiration. With all the obscurity surrounding creative thought, it's no wonder so many myths and misconceptions linger around the topic. But outdated or inaccurate habits can hinder your creative efforts, so we're separating fact from fiction on 7 pervasive myths to set the record straight and help you spark your team's creativity.
Myth 1: Group brainstorming sessions are the ideal starting point for creative team projects.
You've just landed a big new creative project. First step? Get the team together for a group brainstorm! But wait just a second — research actually shows that people come up with more and higher-quality ideas when they work on their own first. Collaborative brainstorming is a great way for people to combine and build off each other's ideas, but not so great for generating new ones. Don't get straight to work after your brainstorm, either; let people ruminate on the group's observations and ideas for a bit to see what new insights pop up.Myth 2: Creativity is time-consuming.
Victor Hugo spent 17 years writing Les Miserables. Chaucer invested ten years of his life in The Canterbury Tales, and they still weren’t finished by the time he died. Stories like these make us believe we simply don't have time to devote to quality creative projects. But luckily, that's just not the case. According to Lee Crutchley, author of The Art of Getting Started, even little things like doodling while you're on the phone, taking one daily photo during your lunch break or commute (even just on your phone), or contributing a single page or paragraph to your book, can improve your creative capacity. As Crutchley says, "The trick is not to worry about whether or not it's good, but just enjoy the process.” So give yourself permission to start small, and remember that incremental progress on your project or skill-building adds up quickly!Myth 3: Creativity is fueled by "out-of-the-box" scenarios, environments, and mindsets.
The unexpected or random can actually stifle creativity, depending on your personality type and the kind of environment you thrive in. If your best work is done in an ordered, predictable setting, throwing a curve ball into your process or routine can derail your creativity. Only if you feed off of novelty and surprise can mixing things up keep your brain fresh and help you make new breakthroughs. So next time someone tells you to jumpstart creative ideas by trying something new, feel free to tell them to buzz off if that doesn't fit your style.Myth 4: Creativity is stifled by limits.
How many times have you heard, “Let your creativity run free,” or “Just go with your stream of consciousness”? Many people believe that freedom yields a higher number or better-quality creative solutions or innovative ideas. But studies show that too many possibilities overwhelm the creative brain, and that restricting your options can improve focus and channel your creativity. As Harvard Business School professor Teresa Amabile points out, the Apollo 13 missions are a perfect example of this. Ground control was working with all kinds of crazy constraints: scant materials, limited power, a strict deadline, etc. — and yet that narrow scope allowed them to focus intensely on the problem at hand and come up with creative (and effective) solutions.Myth 5: Deadlines fuel creativity.
