There seems to be no shortage of good or new ideas. Brainstorming is fun, and new ideas flow. But to produce a new idea that sticks and provides change over time is true innovation, and truth be told, it is hard work. The introduction of the computer into the workplace was innovative. To suggest that if frogs had wings they would move around more smoothly is merely creative, and frankly, a waste of time to suggest.
I love creativity, but I admire innovation. Creative thinking can be recreational and fun, but innovation goes beyond the excitement of creativity, and becomes applicable for an ongoing change or new direction. Implementing a new idea takes risk, discipline, hard work, and often new resources. A lot more is at stake in the area of innovation than in simple creativity.
In his book Daily Rituals: How Artists Work (Alfred A. Knopf, NY, 2014), editor/author Mason Currey examines how a great many writers, composers, painters, choreographers, playwrights, poets, philosophers, sculptors, filmmakers, and scientists — all innovators in their own way — created their creations. As I read through the many stories of these creative and truly innovative individuals, a pattern started developing that has helped me see the conditions under which innovation and creative thinking take place.
Whether it be core innovation (daily work invigoration), adjunct innovation (collaborative creativity), or transformative innovation (game-changing, sustainable creativity), a certain type of energy and specific working environment seem to be necessary to all creative and innovative thinking.
First, a great number of creative thinkers and innovators mentioned by Currey learned to know when they were at their peak level of performance in terms of creative energy. These individuals learned to work when they were at their best and at their peak zone of energy. Length of time of work was not as important as work done at peak energy times. The take-home lesson?— identify the time that works best for you for your most important creative thinking, and plan to use that time to focus on challenges and opportunities.
Second, it was surprising to learn how many of the creative minds found a specific sanctuary or creative space in which to work. As superficial as it may sound, context does matter. Such a space was defined by quietness, freedom from distraction, and optimal environment for single focus. And, the opposite is also true—the wrong working environment, or one with distractions, is the enemy to creative and innovative thinking. Person after person mentioned a specific work place, a studio, a certain room, or a “hiding place,” as the context that gave them the opportunity to focus during their prime time for thinking and creating. Whether it was Mahler’s stone composing hut in the woods, or Mark Twain’s use of a friend’s guest cottage, creative minds find a place that offers focus for prime-time work.
Third, the motivation each individual carried into their work routine came from an intense drive or sense of mission. All of the individuals had a passion for their work, and believed that what they were doing was important. I find this to be true for my work—the more I focus on the underlying mission, the more passion I have for tasks large and small. To get to this point is not always easy. As the psalmist said, “Restore to me the joy…” To do our most creative work, we must believe in what we are trying to do.
Finally, in spite of movies that show think tanks working into the night, or lawyers fighting court deadlines with non-stop investigative work, or scientists working day and night up until a decisive and climactic epiphany, the truth is, we need restorative rest and sleep. We learn from creative individuals that being overtired will depress the mood, which leads to a variety of negative results. Sleep is to the mind as nutrition is to the physical body. Most creative and innovative people work in sprints, not marathons. I was also surprised to read how many creative individuals took time during their day to take a walk. If the person didn’t walk, they would describe some sort of exercise routine. So, as basic as it may sound, exercise and sleep are still key ingredients at the core of a creative and innovative environment.
Marie Grass Amenta says