Science has Debunked these 9 Beliefs about Creativity

Creativity and the creative process are difficult to describe. Like porn, you know it when you see it. Creative thinkers are everywhere and, in every profession, but people struggle to comprehend what creativity truly means or when it happens. Does having a detailed imagination make you naturally creative? Must you be an insufferable introvert to be creative? Are all creative thinkers born that way? 

Over time, false assumptions arose to help answer the variable questions about creativity. As with any idea, notion, or myth created to fill a gap in understanding, they can be widespread and commonly accepted, but they may not be entirely accurate. Some of these beliefs about creativity may be based on a personal anecdote, others based on pseudoscience. Whatever the source, false ideas about what it takes to be creative are the most significant roadblocks that keep us from creative thinking and idea production.

Creativity can be difficult to measure even within scientific settings because it does not always happen within a set of defined circumstances measured against a control group. Creativity is as fluid as life itself and a product of each individual's unique experiences and imaginations.

Nonetheless, scientists are dedicated to uncovering the great mystery that is creativity. Entire fields of scientific research dedicated to studying creativity now exist because it is the one thing humans do better than computers. 

Here are nine common myths about creativity that are widely accepted as truths despite being debunked by scientific evidence. 

1. Creativity is a Solitary Act

While it certainly can be, it by no means has to be. Creative thinking can be accomplished alone or in group settings. The level of successful creative thinking conducted in social settings depends on the person's personality. However, every creative thinker could benefit from bouncing around their ideas with someone willing to listen. They may even help you find a new perspective you hadn't thought of. Remember that creativity thrives in diversity, so do not feel the need only to be creative when alone. 

2. Creativity is a 'Right Brain' Activity

This widespread belief is that people have one side of the brain that is dominant. If people tended to be more creative and freely expressive, they were right-brain dominant. Unsurprisingly, the brain is much more complicated to be split down the middle in such a simple way. The part of the brain responsible for creativity is not located solely on the right side. Instead, different parts of the brain work together as one to help bring about creative thinking. This makes creativity more of a crisscross between the Left and the Right parts of the brain, working as a unite, rather than solely the right side.  

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3. Creativity Only Happens Spontaneously

If you haven't heard of the eureka moment, it's when creative inspiration strikes out of nowhere. Some creative ideas come about this way. However, other creative ideas come from planning and brainstorming. Creativity doesn't have to be something that you wait for. You can conjure up your creativity and creative ideas whenever you please. Don't wait around for inspiration to strike; engage your imagination and find inspiration along the creative process. This way, you can use your creativity on your terms, no matter the circumstances. 

4. Creativity can be Completely Used Up 

Suppose you're worried about using up your creativity or wasting away all your creative ideas on unnecessary projects. I'm here to tell you that creativity is infinite. So long as you can think and breathe, you can continue to be creative. Our brains aren't running on a fixed number of creative ideas. In fact, the more you engage and strengthen your creativity, the more often you'll find yourself having creative thoughts. So, don't worry about running out of creativity. There's more creativity in you than there's time to share it. 

5. Creative Ideas are Completely Original 

The sad truth is that rarely are ideas truly original, but they can be innovative. Think back to any creative masterpiece you can think of, whether a painting, book, song, or movie. While this may be original work, it is likely drawing inspiration from several different mediums and combining these concepts in new, innovative ways. Creativity is all about how people combine unrelated concepts, helping to create unforeseen connections. Because nobody thinks like you, your imagination enables you to create truly innovative ideas that have seemingly never been thought of, even if they're not by definition original. So, keep striving for innovation. 

6. Creativity is Only Needed by Artist

The truth is that every profession utilizes creativity, even if people don't realize it. Car salesmen who think of unique sales pitches for every new customer. That's creativity. Stock Clerks who have a personal system to getting their work done most efficiently. That's creativity. Engineers who must improve upon already designed codes. That's creativity. The need for creativity stretches across professions because every industry has problems that need solutions. The next time you're at work think about the ways you've been subconsciously using your creativity without even realizing it. 

7. Creativity is a Rare Talent

Most Creative Geniuses were not simply born that way but instead worked hard to achieve their goals. Of course, exceptions are out there, and creative prodigies do exist. However, it remains that creativity is more of a honed skill than a rare gift or talent. That means that everyone is born creative, and everyone has a chance of being a creative genius. Much like any skill, you must learn to engage your creativity and build productive habits that help to strengthen your creative thinking. The Original Creative Thinking Journal has been specifically designed to help people access their creativity and engage it through guided exercises.  

8. Creativity Cannot Be Taught 

Remember how we said creativity is a skill often honed over time by Creative Geniuses? That means that creativity is certainly teachable, and because we are all born creative, it is simple to re-learn to engage with your creativity. Through critical thinking and self-reflection, people can learn to become more attune with what it means to be genuinely creative. This means not only having creative ideas but familiarizing oneself with the necessary steps of the creative process. The more exposure people gain to the creative process, the more freely they will utilize their creativity. Even for people who do not feel they have a creative thought in their mind, creativity is a skill that can be gained and improved over time. 

9. Creative Geniuses are Always Tortured Artist

This is one of those myths inspired by personal anecdote after personal anecdote. History is just full of them. From alcoholic authors like Edgar Allen Poe to troubled artists like Vincent van Gogh, history will not let us forget the tortured artist's trope. But remember, for every creative genius who happens to be a tortured artist, there's a creative genius out there who isn't tortured, who is simply an artist. It's never worth it to sacrifice your mental wellness for creativity because creativity should be a benefit to your overall wellness.