["Rules are obstacles to creativity"] is probably the
biggest myth that causes people to lash out against the rules. The
problem is that this myth is based upon a false assumption. People like
to believe that a world of infinite choices is more conducive to
creativity than a world of finite choices. Essentially, the more choices
available, the more chance for creative thought.
Unfortunately, scientific exploration into the means of creative
thought has proven this not to be true. Testing has shown that
restrictions actually aid creative thought. How is this possible? The
answer rests in the human mind. It turns out that the mind isn’t good at
completely open-ended choices. When faced with total freedom of options
the brain retreats to known pathways. It simply repeats what worked
last time it was in this situation.
Whether or not you are someone who is typically comfortable living in
a more analytical space of your mind, it is uncanny how the imposition
of boundaries suddenly makes creative solutions spring to life. In fact,
manipulating those boundaries can often be a way to stir the pot of
your creativity. Try this process with any creative task:
- Determine your goal (eg. “draw a picture”, “write a song”, “cook dinner”)
- Set boundaries or constraints (eg. limited color palette, committing
some random line or shape to paper first, choosing a musical key,
picking themed ingredients or seeing what’s available)
- Ask yourself “What do I need to do next to accomplish my goal within those boundaries?”
- Repeat steps 2-3 as necessary, changing the boundaries and seeing what other solutions your mind comes up with.
No comments:
Post a Comment