The Myths of Creativity

What causes us to be creative in one moment and void in the next? What makes someone more or less creative than his or her peers? Where do our flashes of creative insight come from, and how can we generate more of them?

We tend to think of creativity in terms reminiscent of the ancient muses: divinely inspired, unpredictable, and bestowed upon a lucky few. Unfortunately, mythology isn't much help when you're challenged to be creative on demand. When you are charged with developing new ideas, conventional wisdom will only hold you back. How can you ensure you get past common myths about creativity to design truly innovative strategies?

The Myths of Creativity demystifies the processes that drive innovation. Based on the latest research into how creative individuals and firms succeed, David Burkus corrects the mistaken ideas that stunt innovative thinking, such as:

• The  Eureka Myth: New ideas come from hard work, not a quick spark
• The Lone Creator Myth: Creativity takes well-conceived teamwork, not a single person's genius
• The Mousetrap Myth: No innovation is brilliant enough to sell itself, and a great idea isn't the end of the process, but the beginning

By debunking these — and other — widespread misconceptions, David Burkus shows how to embrace a real, practical approach to finding the best new ideas, projects, processes, and programs.

For anyone who struggles with creativity, or who makes excuses for delaying the work of innovation, The Myths of Creativity will help overcome the creative obstacles to finding new ideas.

1. The Creative Mythology
2. The Eureka Myth
3. The Breed Myth
4. The Originality Myth
5. The Expert Myth
6. The Incentive Myth
7. The Lone Creator Myth
8. The Brainstorming Myth
9. The Cohesive Myth
10. The Constraints Myth
11. The Mousetrap Myth