The Creativity Choice
The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas into Action
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected May 6, 2025
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- $17.99
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- Pre-Order
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
Based on twenty years of research, a Yale scientist dispels the myth that creativity is a trait that you’re born with—instead, creativity is a decision that you make again and again
Anyone who has ever participated in a brainstorming session will know that most of us do not lack ideas. Yet, many people never breathe life into these ideas. To turn inspiration into real achievement, you must decide to act—and then decide to act again and again, despite obstacles, until your thoughts take shape and come to life. This is what psychologist Zorana Ivcevic Pringle calls the creativity choice.
Drawing on decades of research into the science of creativity, The Creativity Choice teaches readers how to bring ideas out of your mind and into the world. With stories ranging from an entrepreneur who built a national nonprofit, to a YouTuber who turned a hobby into a professional career, to a business leader who established a company culture of innovation, Pringle illuminates how people make creative ideas happen. She shows what it takes to get started, the psychological and emotional tools needed to navigate the creative process, and the social conditions that allow creativity to succeed. Through this book, you’ll learn how to bridge the gap between having the first spark of an idea and actually doing something with it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Creativity is not a gift bestowed upon a lucky few but the repeated decision to do the frustrating work of turning the "spark of an idea... into something visible and tangible," according to this smart debut manual. Pringle, a senior research scientist at Yale, breaks the creative process into three parts, outlining how readers must first learn to embrace the "uncomfortable uncertainty" of exploring potentially unfamiliar solutions, and leverage their emotions to fuel different types of creative thinking (happiness lends itself to expansive brainstorming, but gloomy moods are valuable for identifying mistakes and anticipating obstacles). Contrary to the stereotype of the lone genius, Pringle contends that creativity is not a solo pursuit, and details how to use one's social network for support and feedback. Drawing from a wealth of research studies and real-world success stories, Pringle provides an expansive vision of creativity with a valuable focus on day-to-day tasks and professional environments (where creativity can foster "greater profitability and higher growth"). The result is an intelligent and pragmatic guide to thinking outside the box.
