There will never be enough books on creativity. That’s because we’ll never be able to fully figure it out. Obviously, if the God of the universe is the supreme creative being, how could we hope to fully understand it? It’s so far above us.
And one of the craziest things about creativity is the seeming paradoxes required to make it happen. These are a few I’ve noticed:
- Restraints/Constraints
Great creativity requires constraints. A budget, a set of rules, a square canvas. Those are all required constraints to bring out the creativity within. But at the same time, creativity requires out-of-the-box thinking. In fact, constraints are what prompt the unrestrained, out-of-the-box, thought process. So the very box we put ourselves in helps us see outside the box. Crazy paradox. - Messiness/Structure
Great art has structure. It’s what allows the audience to process and enjoy the art. Lines, brush strokes, balance. Without those we can’t process art. But great art infuses messiness in that structure. It’s what makes the audience feel a bit uncomfortable. It’s what evokes the emotion inside us. A formula or set of rules can’t do that. The disorder and messiness within does that. Paradoxical. - Ease/Struggle
Great creativity requires a struggle. We wrestle with concepts and ideas to create something wonderful. It’s the internal struggle with traditions and rules that bring about revolutionary ideas. But have you noticed this: Some of the greatest and most brilliant ideas come easily. It’s the no-brainers that really make a huge difference. So, while creativity requires struggle, the easy ideas are the most impacting. Crazy! - New/Inspired By
There’s nothing new. Right? Every idea we have is built upon previous ideas and inspirations. Yet, there are new things. The fact that the new idea was inspired by a previous idea doesn’t negate the newness of the fresh idea. We all recycle…but that doesn’t mean the new product is the same as the old. It’s fresh. New. A paradox.
What paradoxes of creativity have you observed? Share yours.
