The “Burst” Method of Creative Production
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There is one method I have consistently used when faced with creative tasks or problems which has been particularly effective for me. I call it the “Burst Method”, since it consists of intense burst of production.
Creative geniuses throughout history have also used it in many fields. According to anecdote, Leonardo Da Vinci, when working on The Last Supper, was criticized for apparently disappearing from his workplace for hours at a time after spending days without sleeping. Now, I don’t recommend taking 20 years, as Leonardo did, to complete an endeavor (unless you end up with something of the quality of The Last Supper). But he surely used those ‘rest periods’ to incubate what he had accomplished in the previous work period and come up with fresh ideas before he returned to work.
So, how can you apply the “Burst Method” to your own life? Simple: Read more »
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The difference between people who haven’t yet discovered their hidden genius and others who are supposedly “smarter” or “more creative” is that they haven’t understood what triggers are the most conducive to the creation of ideas.
I believe that creativity and intelligence doesn’t rely exclusively on knowledge. It relies, more importantly, on sensibility to your surroundings. This is the story of how I came to that conclusion:
The reason why many problems seem unsolvable is that we concentrate on directly finding solutions for them. We either believe that time will solve our problems, or that we’ll solve them by doing the same thing over and and over again. Neither will work. If we don’t actively pursue solutions, most of the times the problem will not be solved. If we repeatedly apply the same failed alternatives, we’ll repeatedly fail.
. The reason why I particularly enjoy this piece is because he tells a very basic truth: our schools increasingly kill creativity, and we need to do something about it. Here are other tidbits I identified with:
Sometimes I’ve been a typical couch potato, and at other times I’ve followed my exercise program loyally. Without exceptions, I’ve been most inspired to learn and create during the latter, when I’m most physically active.
(…) the time will come when every house even will have not only its sleeping-rooms, and dining-room, and talking-room or parlor, but its thinking-room also, and the architects will put it into their plans. Let it be furnished and ornamented with whatever conduces to serious and creative thought.” — Henry D. Thoreau, A Yankee in Canada, The Portable Thoreau, p. 252
Jazz musicians who were asked to improvise showed dramatically decreased activity in the part of the brain responsible for evaluating one’s own actions. At the same time, the part of the brain responsible for “self-initiated” thought was highly active.