Key Messages
Unlocking The Mysteries Of Creative Genius: The Relationship Between Intelligence, Inspiration, And Friends
The Creative Curve by Allen Gannett unlocks the secrets of creative success.
By delving into history, it offers an inside look at some of the most remarkable talents who have made their mark on art, literature and science.
From Leonardo da Vinci to Charles Darwin, readers can uncover what made them successful and discover how they can emulate these trailblazers.
Gannett explores the scientific and social underpinning of creativity, uncovering why some people are more successful than others in making a creative mark on society.
He looks at the importance of mentors, friends and teachers in creative success stories as well as delving into the phenomenon behind popular creative ideas.
Reader’s will discover the surprising truth about intelligence and creativity, why certain ideas are more familiar than original and how our social circles influence our potential creativity through The Creative Curve.
Unlocking these secrets can help you find your own success or that of someone close to you in a creative badge.
Unlock Your Creative Potential Through Purposeful Practice
Have you ever wondered about the relationship between creativity and intelligence? In 2013, Austrian psychologists conducted a study which investigated this.
Their research revealed that once a person’s IQ score went above 86, their IQ score was no longer predictive of their creative problem-solving abilities.
That is to say, a genius-level IQ of 150 is no guarantee that someone will come up with more solutions than somebody who has an average IQ of 100.
When it comes to unlocking our creative potential, research indicates that it all comes down to practice – but not just any type of practice.
Purposeful practice is key; Professor K.
Anders Ericsson from Florida State University found that the most expert performers would ensure they got regular critiques from their teachers and were always set tasks they hadn’t yet mastered.
This meant that they had clear achievable goals in their practice sessions, pushing them to develop skills and increase creativity.
So if unlocking your full creative capabilities is your goal, it’s important to note: Creativity is powered by purposeful practice rather than one’s intelligence alone!
Geniuses Outliers Or Products Of Timing?
When it comes to who is hailed as a genius, timing and historical context can play an important role.
In 1858, upon hearing that Alfred Wallace was also working on the theory of natural selection, Charles Darwin quickly arranged for his own presentation to the Linnean Society, creating the impression that he was the driving force behind it.
By the time Wallace published his account of this same theory himself several years later, Darwin had already written himself into scientific history with his book The Origin of The Species.
What’s more, if we take a look at those celebrated as creative geniuses over time, their status often has to do with when they live and what context they’re in.
Take Andy Warhol – often thought of as one of the creative geniuses of the twentieth century- imagine if he had lived during the Italian Renaissance? It’s most likely his work would have been labeled heretical and destroyed before anyone else could appreciate it.
Similarly da Vinci would have been seen as hopelessly out dated if he created his masterpieces in an era of pop art since this form of expression had been explored centuries earlier.
This serves to show us that becoming a genius requires impeccable timing and being mindful of your environmental factors- enabling you to be shaped by whatever history gives you so that you can become an influential part of it.
The Rise And Fall Of The Ed Hardy Clothing Brand: Exploring Our Paradoxical Preference For Familiarity And Novelty
When it comes to why we like some things and not others, the answer may be hidden in what is known as the creative curve.
This theory explains why many things become popular fast, but then soon die out just as quickly.
It comes down to our paradoxical balance between liking familiarity, while also wanting something new and novel.
The fortunes of the Ed Hardy clothing brand are a perfect example of this phenomenon.
It was all the rage in 2009 when everyone wanted to wear their designs, but by the end of that year it became an embarrassment and sales decreased dramatically.
What causes this swift rise and fall?
Research has showed that when exposed to something for long enough, people begin to form positive associations with it – regardless of what it may be.
As Don Ed Hardy’s clothing became more visible throughout 2009 people began to develop a “familiarity” with it which pushed up sales.
But once those items were seen so often they lost their novelty factor – people no longer wanted them because they were overdone – and thus sales plummeted.
This counter-desire for novelty is another aspect of the creative curve theory which helps explain why some entities fade away nearly as soon as they arrive on the scene!
How Ted Sarandos Used Mass Consumption Of Movies To Become A Master Of The Creative Curve
The Creative Curve is a concept that has been adopted by many creative professionals, including Ted Sarandos, to help them master their crafts.
If you want to understand the Creative Curve, then maximising your cultural consumption is key to reaching the top of your creative game.
For creative professionals such as film makers and painters, this means taking in as much material related to their particular industry as possible.
In the case of Ted Sarandos, he devoted himself to watching every film in the store where he worked.
For other creatives, this might mean attending art exhibitions for painters or sampling new restaurants for chefs.
By devoting around 20% of your time – 3-4 hours – to mass consuming material related to your chosen profession, you’ll gain a finely tuned knowledge of what materials are currently popular and what’s familiar with consumers, allowing you to make informed decisions on which projects may be more successful than others.
Ultimately, this insight will help you stay ahead of the curve and achieve success in your particular field just like Ted Sarandos did all those years ago.
Don’T Underestimate The Power Of Finding Your Place On The Creative Curve: Lessons From Beverly Jenkins
The mantra for authors wanting their work to become a publishing sensation? Fall into the sweet spot on the creative curve.
That’s because even though writing ability and intelligence may help, these skills alone don’t guarantee success.
Instead, the key is to combine familiarity and novelty in good measure.
This is precisely what Beverly Jenkins did with her historical romance novels now selling more than 1.5 million copies worldwide.
Jenkins noticed that all of the traditional romances she was reading were starring white characters only.
Drawing on her imagination as well as life experiences as an African-American woman, she crafted stories spotlighting black protagonists – something unique that wasn’t available before.
In other words, Jenkins found success by combining all of the familiar elements of traditional romance novels – like providing a happy ending and hitting dramatic moments between lovers – while introducing something completely new at the same time revealing a much needed perspective to readers: African Americans in love stories!
We can all take away from Jenkins’ example and apply it our own ideas: if you want to become a publishing phenomenon, identify your genre’s norm then introduce something novel within it for maximum impact!
It Takes A Community To Create A Creative Genius
If you want to succeed in the world of innovation and creativity, having the right social network is key.
That’s because having a community of supportive and talented people around you can be the difference between success and failure.
As researchers from the University of California found out in a 1992 study, looking into the networks of thousands of innovators and scientists, the quality of relationships could predict how long and successful an innovation project could be.
Another study observing high-achieving artists revealed that reputations were directly linked to those who had established relationships with other successful artists.
Finally, a 1985 research paper established that no world-renowned performer ever achieved success without help from an experienced teacher.
Just take a look at Elon Musk – often seen as the real-life Tony Stark – for evidence of this phenomenon in action: rather than working alone to make his futuristic electric cars, rockets and spaceships, he has thousands of employees backing him up.
Clearly then, if you’re looking to take your idea or invention on to greatness, assemble yourself a social network made up of talented friends or colleagues that can give you sound advice or help along the way.
Without this essential support system your creative genius may never get off the ground!
Wrap Up
The Creative Curve by Allen Gannett serves as an invaluable resource for anyone looking to succeed in their creative pursuits.
He breaks down what it takes to become a genius, focusing on topics such as community, great timing, familiarity and novelty.
But there’s one more crucial ingredient for success: finding a strong promoter – someone who is credible enough to champion your work and introduce you to the people who will be interested in it.
Without this person’s help, it can be difficult to get society to believe that your work is credible and worthy of recognition.
So, if you want creative genius status, make sure you have a prominent promoter at your side when taking the journey – they’ll be vital in helping you gain social recognition for your work.
