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In brief, Creative thinking is a process that requires our brains to make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. Creativity is not something that we develop through practice, rather a trainable skill that we are born with in which largely determined by whether you approach the creative process with a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.

In order to fully embrace the growth mindset and enhance our creativity, we must be willing and never be afraid to face our inner fears and working through failure.

What I find interesting about the article is the brief summary of Carol Dweck's words. It's interesting how it challenges a deeply ingrained cultural belief that praising innate qualities like inteligence and talents leads to a higher self-esteem and better performance. They points out that this approach can backfire, creating fear of failure and avoidance of challenges to protect one's image. Instead, they emphasizes the importance of praising effort,strategies, and resilience and this promotes a growth mindset, where people can see abilities as something that are developable, expandable and can be improved. It's a powerful insight for workplaces, schools, and parenting , suggesting that how we give feedback can significantly shape motivation, learning, and long-term success.

Do I agree or disagree with the author's conclusion?

I agree with the author's conclusion as they mentioned that we have to work through mental barriers and internal blocks, commit to practicing our craft and to stick with the process for years in order to see our creative genius bloom.

Questions that stuck in my head while reading the article :

1. Why do you think creativity tends to decrease as children grew older ?

2. Is modern education system contribute to the decrease in creativity? If so, how?

3. What habits could you personally develop to strengthen your creativity skills?

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In 1666, one of the most influential scientists in history was strolling through a garden when he was struck with a flash of creative brilliance that would change the world.

While standing under the shade of an apple tree, Sir Isaac Newton saw an apple fall to the ground. "Why should that apple always descend perpendicularly to the ground," Newton wondered. "Why should it not go sideways, or upwards, but constantly to the earth's center? Assuredly, the reason is, that the earth draws it. There must be a drawing power in matter." 1

And thus, the concept of gravity was born.

The story of the falling apple has become one of the lasting and iconic examples of the creative moment. It is a symbol of the inspired genius that fills your brain during those "eureka moments" when creative conditions are just right. 2

What most people forget, however, is that Newton worked on his ideas about gravity for nearly twenty years until, in 1687, he published his groundbreaking book, The Principia: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. The falling apple was merely the beginning of a train of thought that continued for decades.

Newton isn't the only one to wrestle with a great idea for years. Creative thinking is a process for all of us. In this article, I'll share the science of creative thinking, discuss which conditions drive creativity and which ones hinder it, and offer practical tips for becoming more creative.

Creative Thinking: Destiny or Development?

Creative thinking requires our brains to make connections between seemingly unrelated ideas. Is this a skill that we are born with or one that we develop through practice? Let's look at the research to uncover an answer.

In the 1960s, a creative performance researcher named George Land conducted a study of 1,600 five-year-olds and 98 percent of the children scored in the "highly creative" range. Dr. Land re-tested each subject during five year increments. When the same children were 10-years-old, only 30 percent scored in the highly creative range. This number dropped to 12 percent by age 15 and just 2 percent by age 25. As the children grew into adults they effectively had the creativity trained out of them. In the words of Dr. Land, "non-creative behavior is learned." 3

Similar trends have been discovered by other researchers. For example, one study of 272,599 students found that although IQ scores have risen since 1990, creative thinking scores have decreased. 4

This is not to say that creativity is 100 percent learned. Genetics do play a role. According to psychology professor Barbara Kerr, "approximately 22 percent of the variance [in creativity] is due to the influence of genes." This discovery was made by studying the differences in creative thinking between sets of twins. 5

All of this to say, claiming that "I'm just not the creative type" is a pretty weak excuse for avoiding creative thinking. Certainly, some people are primed to be more creative than others. However, nearly every person is born with some level of creative skill and the majority of our creative thinking abilities are trainable.

Now that we know creativity is a skill that can be improved, let's talk about why-and how-practice and learning impacts your creative output.

Intelligence and Creative Thinking

What does it take to unleash your creative potential?

As I mentioned in my article on Threshold Theory, being in the top 1 percent of intelligence has no correlation with being fantastically creative. Instead, you simply have to be smart (not a genius) and then work hard, practice deliberately and put in your reps.

As long as you meet a threshold of intelligence, then brilliant creative work is well within your reach. In the words of researchers from a 2013 study, "we obtained evidence that once the intelligence threshold is met, personality factors become more predictive for creativity." 6

Growth Mindset

What exactly are these "personality factors" that researchers are referring to when it comes to boosting your creative thinking?

One of the most critical components is how you view your talents internally. More specifically, your creative skills are largely determined by whether you approach the creative process with a fixed mindset or a growth mindset.

The differences between these two mindsets are described in detail in Carol Dweck's fantastic book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success ( audiobook).

The basic idea is that when we use a fixed mindset we approach tasks as if our talents and abilities are fixed and unchanging. In a growth mindset, however, we believe that our abilities can be improved with effort and practice. Interestingly, we can easily nudge ourselves in one direction or another based on how we talk about and praise our efforts.

Here's a brief summary in Dweck's words:
"The whole self-esteem movement taught us erroneously that praising intelligence, talent, abilities would foster self-confidence, self-esteem, and everything great would follow. But we've found it backfires. People who are praised for talent now worry about doing the next thing, about taking on the hard task, and not looking talented, tarnishing that reputation for brilliance. So instead, they'll stick to their comfort zone and get really defensive when they hit setbacks.
So what should we praise? The effort, the strategies, the doggedness and persistence, the grit people show, the resilience that they show in the face of obstacles, that bouncing back when things go wrong and knowing what to try next. So I think a huge part of promoting a growth mindset in the workplace is to convey those values of process, to give feedback, to reward people engaging in the process, and not just a successful outcome."

-Carol Dweck 7

Embarrassment and Creativity

How can we apply the growth mindset to creativity in practical terms? In my experience, it comes down to one thing: the willingness to look bad when pursuing an activity.

As Dweck says, the growth mindset is focused more on the process than the outcome. This is easy to accept in theory, but very hard to stick to in practice. Most people don't want to deal with the accompanying embarrassment or shame that is often required to learn a new skill.

The list of mistakes that you can never recover from is very short. I think most of us realize this on some level. We know that our lives will not be destroyed if that book we write doesn't sell or if we get turned down by a potential date or if we forget someone's name when we introduce them. It's not necessarily what comes after the event that worries us. It's the possibility of looking stupid, feeling humiliated, or dealing with embarrassment along the way that prevents us from getting started at all.

In order to fully embrace the growth mindset and enhance your creativity, you need to be willing to take action in the face of these feelings which so often deter us.

How to Be More Creative

Assuming that you are willing to do the hard work of facing your inner fears and working through failure, here are a few practical strategies for becoming more creative.

Constrain yourself. Carefully designed constraints are one of your best tools for sparking creative thinking. Dr. Seuss wrote his most famous book when he limited himself to 50 words. Soccer players develop more elaborate skill sets when they play on a smaller field. Designers can use a 3-inch by 5-inch canvas to create better large scale designs. The more we limit ourselves, the more resourceful we become.

Write more. For nearly three years, I published a new article every Monday and every Thursday at JamesClear.com. The longer I stuck with this schedule, the more I realized that I had to write about a dozen average ideas before I uncovered a brilliant one. By producing a volume of work, I created a larger surface area for a creative spark to hit me.

Not interested in sharing your writing publicly? Julia Cameron's Morning Pages routine is a fantastic way to use writing to increase your creativity even if you have no intention of writing for others.

Broaden your knowledge. One of my most successful creative strategies is to force myself to write about seemingly disparate topics and ideas. For example, I have to be creative when I use 1980s basketball strategies or ancient word processing software or zen buddhism to describe our daily behaviors. In the words of psychologist Robert Epstein, "You'll do better in psychology and life if you broaden your knowledge."

Sleep longer. In my article on how to get better sleep, I shared a study from the University of Pennsylvania, which revealed the incredible impact of sleep on mental performance. The main finding was this: Sleep debt is cumulative and if you get 6 hours of sleep per night for two weeks straight, your mental and physical performance declines to the same level as if you had stayed awake for 48 hours straight. Like all cognitive functions, creative thinking is significantly impaired by sleep deprivation.

Enjoy sunshine and nature. One study tested 56 backpackers with a variety of creative thinking questions before and after a 4-day backpacking trip. The researchers found that by the end of the trip the backpackers had increased their creativity by 50 percent. This research supports the findings of other studies, which show that spending time in nature and increasing your exposure to sunlight can lead to higher levels of creativity. 8

Embrace positive thinking. It sounds a bit fluffy for my taste, but positive thinking can lead to significant improvements in creative thinking. Why? Positive psychology research has revealed that we tend to think more broadly when we are happy. This concept, which is known as the Broaden and Build Theory, makes it easier for us to make creative connections between ideas. Conversely, sadness and depression seems to lead to more restrictive and limited thinking.

Ship it. The honest truth is that creativity is just hard work. The single best thing you can do is choose a pace you can sustain and ship content on a consistent basis. Commit to the process and create on a schedule. The only way creativity becomes a reality is by shipping.

Final Thoughts on Creative Thinking

Creativity is a process, not an event. It's not just a eureka moment. You have to work through mental barriers and internal blocks. You have to commit to practicing your craft deliberately. And you have to stick with the process for years, perhaps even decades like Newton did, in order to see your creative genius blossom.

The ideas in this article offer a variety approaches on how to be more creative. If you're looking for additional practical strategies on how to improve your creativity habits, then read my free guide called Mastering Creativity.

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In this article, I'll share the science of creative thinking, discuss which conditions drive creativity, and offer tips for becoming more creative.

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This article is about the author resonating with people who are struggling being consistent with something that they care about and here's something the author try to remind themselves of when they feel like giving up :

Your mind is a Suggestion Engine

Consider every thought you have as a suggestion, not an order. They are merely options. You have the power to choose which option to follow.

Discomfort is Temporary

The hard part never lasts long. Whether it's a workout or writing sessions, it will be over soon. So lean into the discomfort.

You will never regret good work once it is done

The hard part is starting. But once you complete the work, you're always glad you did. Good effort never betrays you. And each time you do, you'll look like someone who's disciplined and commited. Small actions shape who you are.

This is Life.

Life is good and bad every other way. Spend it in a way that will make you proud. Don't wait for the right moment or motivation. The choice to push forward today is what defines your life.

Let the world decide.

Our jobs isn't to be perfect, it's to show up and do the work. Let the results take care of themselves.

The title really catches my eyes and to add on, this topic is something that we often experience at times. I really agree with the author. I mean, the author combines raw vulnerability with practical wisdom in a way that are so empowering and relatable at the same time. They doesn't pretend to be so full of motivated, instead they admits that even after years of consistency, there's still days when they just wants to quit. They focuses on showing up, rather than being brilliant every time, a lesson in discipline and identity-building; do work, even if it's not your best day. Putting struggles into perspective, showing how temporary discomfort leads to lasting growth, echoing ideas of passion and resist the temptation of an immediate reward in favor of a more valuable and long-lasting reward later. This higlights the essence of the author's message which is perseverance, perspective, and the power of choice.

Though, it does makes me questions like :

1. What thoughts do I treat as facts, even though they're just suggestions?

2. How can I practice choosing better mental suggestions when I'm struggling?

3. What habits that could help me show up even when I don't feel like it?

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I am struggling today. If you've ever struggled to be consistent with something you care about, maybe my struggle will resonate with you too.

It has been 939 days since November 12, 2012. That's the date when I first published an article on JamesClear.com and it's almost 2 years and 7 months ago. During these 939 mostly glorious, sometimes frustrating days, I have written a new post every Monday and Thursday. Week after week. Month after month. Year after year.

Today, I Feel Like Giving Up

But today? Well, today I am struggling. Today, I don't feel like writing. Today, I don't feel like sticking to the routine. Today, I don't feel like I have any great ideas and I don't feel like I have enough time to make the good ideas great. Today, I feel like giving up.

Research from the University of Pennsylvania has shown that grit is the characteristic linked most closely to success. I could use some grit today.

Here's what I try to remind myself of when I feel like giving up...

Your Mind is a Suggestion Engine

Consider every thought you have as a suggestion, not an order. Right now, my mind is suggesting that I feel tired. It is suggesting that I give up. It is suggesting that I take an easier path.

If I pause for a moment, however, I can discover new suggestions. My mind is also suggesting that I will feel very good about accomplishing this work once it is done. It is suggesting that I will respect the identity I am building when I stick to the schedule. It is suggesting that I have the ability to finish this task, even when I don't feel like.

Remember, none of these suggestions are orders. They are merely options. I have the power to choose which option I follow. 1

Discomfort Is Temporary

Relative to the time in your normal day or week, nearly any habit you perform is over quickly. Your workout will be finished in an hour or two. Your report will be typed to completion by tomorrow morning. This article will be finished in just a moment.

Life is easier now than it has ever been. 300 years ago, if you didn't kill your own food and build your own house, you would die. Today, we whine about forgetting our iPhone charger.

Maintain perspective. Your life is good and your discomfort is temporary. Step into this moment of discomfort and let it strengthen you.

You Will Never Regret Good Work Once It is Done

Theodore Roosevelt famously said, "Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." So often it seems that we want to work easily at work worth doing. We want our work to be helpful and respected, but we do not want to struggle through our work. We want our stomachs to be flat and our arms to be strong, but we do not want to grind through another workout. We want the final result, but not the failed attempts that precede it. We want the gold, but not the grind.

Anyone can want a gold medal. Few people want to train like an Olympian.

And yet, despite our resistance to it, I have never found myself feeling worse after the hard work was done. There have been days when it was damn hard to start, but it was always worth finishing. Sometimes, the simple act of showing up and having the courage to do the work, even in an average manner, is a victory worth celebrating.

This Is Life

Life is a constant balance between giving into the ease of distraction or overcoming the pain of discipline. It is not an exaggeration to say that our lives and our identities are defined in this delicate balance. What is life, if not the sum of a hundred thousand daily battles and tiny decisions to either gut it out or give it up?

This moment when you don't feel like doing the work? This is not a moment to be thrown away. This is not a dress rehearsal. This moment is your life as much as any other moment. Spend it in a way that will make you proud.

Let the World Decide

So, what do I do when I feel like giving up? I show up.

Do I show up at my best? I doubt it. But my job isn't to judge how good or how bad I am.

My job is to do the work and let the world decide.

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I am struggling today, and maybe you are too. Don't give up yet, though. Read this article to learn what I remind myself of when I want to give up...

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Zanshin: Learning the art of attention and focus from a legendary Samurai Archer

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Zanshin: Learning the art of attention and focus from a legendary Samurai Archer

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In the 1920s, a German professor named Eugen Herrigel moved to Japan. He came to teach philosophy at a university a few hours northeast of Tokyo, in a city called Sendai.

To deepen his understanding of Japanese culture, Herrigel began training in Kyudo, the Japanese martial art of archery. He was taught by a legendary archer named Awa Kenzo. Kenzo was convinced that beginners should master the fundamentals of archery before attempting to shoot at a real target, and he took this method to the extreme. For the first four years of his training, Herrigel was only allowed to shoot at a roll of straw just seven feet away.

When Herrigel complained of the incredibly slow pace, his teacher replied "The way to the goal is not to be measured! Of what importance are weeks, months, years?"

When he was finally permitted to shoot at more distant targets, Herrigel's performance was dismal. The arrows flew off course and he became more discouraged with each wayward shot. During a particularly humbling session, Herrigel stated that his problem must be poor aim.

Kenzo, however, looked at his student and replied that it was not whether one aimed, but how one approached the task that determined the outcome. Frustrated with this reply, Herrigel blurted out, "Then you ought to be able to hit it blindfolded."

Kenzo paused for a moment and then said, "Come to see me this evening."

Archery in the Dark

After night had fallen, the two men returned to the courtyard where the practice hall was located. Kenzo walked to his usual shooting location, now with the target hidden in the dark. The archery master proceeded through his normal routine, settled into his firing stance, drew the bow string tight, and released the first arrow into the darkness.

Recalling the event later, Herrigel wrote, "I knew from the sound that it had hit the target."

Immediately, Kenzo drew a second arrow and again fired into the night.

Herrigel jumped up and ran across the courtyard to inspect the target. In his book, Zen in the Art of Archery, he wrote, "When I switched on the light over the target stand, I discovered to my amazement that the first arrow was lodged full in the middle of the black, while the second arrow had splintered the butt of the first and ploughed through the shaft before embedding itself beside it."

Kenzo had hit a double bullseye without being able to see the target.

Everything Is Aiming

Great archery masters often teach that "everything is aiming." Where you place your feet, how you hold the bow, the way you breathe during the release of the arrow-it all determines the end result.

In the case of Awa Kenzo, the master archer was so mindful of the process that led to an accurate shot that he was able to replicate the exact series of internal movements even without seeing the external target. This complete awareness of the body and mind in relation to the goal is known as zanshin.

Zanshin is a word used commonly throughout Japanese martial arts to refer to a state of relaxed alertness. Literally translated, zanshin means "the mind with no remainder." In other words, the mind completely focused on action and fixated on the task at hand. Zanshin is being constantly aware of your body, mind, and surroundings without stressing yourself. It is an effortless vigilance.

In practice, though, zanshin has an even deeper meaning. Zanshin is choosing to live your life intentionally and acting with purpose rather than mindlessly falling victim to whatever comes your way.

The Enemy of Improvement

There is a famous Japanese proverb that says, "After winning the battle, tighten your helmet." 1

In other words, the battle does not end when you win. The battle only ends when you get lazy, when you lose your sense of commitment, and when you stop paying attention. This is zanshin as well: the act of living with alertness regardless of whether the goal has already been achieved.

We can carry this philosophy into many areas of life.

Writing: The battle does not end when you publish a book. It ends when you consider yourself a finished product, when you lose the vigilance needed to continue improving your craft.

Fitness: The battle does not end when you hit a PR. It ends when you lose concentration and skip workouts or when you lose perspective and overtrain.

Entrepreneurship: The battle does not end when you make a big sale. It ends when you get cocky and complacent.

The enemy of improvement is neither failure nor success. The enemy of improvement is boredom, fatigue, and lack of concentration. The enemy of improvement is a lack of commitment to the process because the process is everything.

The Art of Zanshin in Everyday Life
"One should approach all activities and situations with the same sincerity, the same intensity, and the same awareness that one has with bow and arrow in hand."
-Kenneth Kushner, One Arrow, One Life

We live in a world obsessed with results. Like Herrigel, we have a tendency to put so much emphasis on whether or not the arrow hits the target. If, however, we put that intensity and focus and sincerity into the process-where we place our feet, how we hold the bow, how we breathe during the release of the arrow-then hitting the bullseye is simply a side effect.

The point is not to worry about hitting the target. The point is to fall in love with the boredom of doing the work and embrace each piece of the process. The point is to take that moment of zanshin, that moment of complete awareness and focus, and carry it with you everywhere in life.

It is not the target that matters. It is not the finish line that matters. It is the way we approach the goal that matters. Everything is aiming. Zanshin.

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Zanshin: Learning the Art of Attention and Focus From a Legendary Samurai Archer

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Zanshin is choosing to live your life intentionally and acting with purpose rather than mindlessly falling victim to whatever comes your way.

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Experience: I walked the length of the UK with a donkey

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After a relationship breakup, rambling 700 miles from the Highlands to Dorset with Martin helped restore my faith in people