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Why nurturing yourself boosts creativity: A fresh approach to productivity
When I teach writing classes, people often ask for tips on being more disciplined and productive. My answer might surprise you: discipline isn’t the key to creativity. Instead, creativity needs to be fed. When you take care of yourself—indulging in what makes you feel warm and fuzzy—your creative voice naturally starts to speak. Then, all…
How David Lynch and the language of images guide us through the unknown
David Lynch, the legendary director of films like The Elephant Man and Eraserhead, was once asked by Terry Gross on Fresh Air what he does when he makes a movie. After a long pause, he replied, “You know, when I’m making a movie, I don’t know what I’m doing.” Of course, something is guiding him,…
Unlocking creativity through paradox and imagination
Creativity happens when we make unusual connections, turning what is familiar into something strange. We often assume certain things naturally go together—like a boat, duck, and water. But when we pair unexpected elements, we step into creative terrain. For example, imagine the absurd combination of a “ham sandwich” and “hair gel.” While clearly nonsensical, this…
The Art Spirit: Robert Henri’s Wisdom on Creativity and True Happiness
There are so many gems of wisdom in Robert Henri’s The Art Spirit that it’s hard to choose just one to share. (If you flipped through my copy, you’d see “wow,” “cool,” and “neat” scribbled in red letters in the margins of practically every page.) But perhaps the most profound insight is this: creating art…
Why science needs art: Exploring the interplay of creativity and complexity
“…the surreal nature of physics is precisely why it needs the help of artists. Science has progressed beyond our ability to understand it, at least in any literal sense…It’s a brute fact of psychology that the human mind cannot comprehend the double-digit dimensions of string theory or the possibility of parallel universes. Our mind evolved…
A deeper human language
When I work with a client’s deep inner images, I draw on the same visual language that artists work with, and so I find visual art, especially drawing, fascinating. I tell my students and workshop participants that we need to shift “how we are looking” to understand these potent inner images and allow them to…