On Creativity: The Childlike Brain, Forgetting the Shape of the Box, Doing Something Silly, & More

A quick look at today

• We lose our creativity the more we learn the "proper" way to do things.
• Embracing a childlike brain will enable youthful creativity.
• Children go through life experiencing moments of pure joy due to their unconstrained modes of thinking, we can embrace the same.

As we grow up, we learn how society functions, how to act as adults, and the proper ways to behave in any given setting.

We conform to the standards of our culture, learning what proper means in all contexts.

Gone are the youthful meltdowns, the screaming in restaurants, the restlessness at Sunday church.

Also gone are the moments of uncontrollable laughter in the classroom, the insatiable curiosity about all that we stumble upon, and the joys of pure innocence that come with being young.

Much of what we have learned as we grow up is for the better, but it is important to not lose sight of what is so apparent to youth.

We should not forget completely what it is to be young. After all, there is much that we can learn from youth that can improve our lives in adulthood.

“Youth can not know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young.” - JK Rowling

Embracing a youthful mindset can enhance our creativity and spark moments of blissful joy.

Unlearning the Shape of the Box

Before we grow up, we don’t yet know how things are supposed to be done. Instead, our brain has to rely on its creativity to figure out solutions to problems.

One of the beauties of youth is that almost everything requires creativity. You’re learning about the world as you go, drawing and creating conclusions based on your experience and your brain’s ability to make connections between things.

Musician Andrew Hozier talked about this concept in an interview with the 1A Record Club, discussing the creation of his first album Hozier. Reflecting on the creative process of his first album, relative to his second or third album, Hozier expressed the freedom that came with “not knowing the shape of the box” when he was working on his first album. He had not learned “the right way” to make music from an industry sense and thus was entirely free to create in whatever ways came to mind. After creating the first album, he was exposed to “the right way” to make music, thus putting a box around any future music he made.

Merely knowing the shape of the box, made it harder to express himself creatively.

Not knowing the shape of the box is what it is to be youthfully creative. Youths problem-solve and think creatively because they have not learned the shape of society’s boxes yet. We are at our most creative when we think outside the box, or better yet, don’t know the shape of the box yet.

We can unlearn the shape of the box, by approaching problems as a youth would. With curiosity and amazement. Abandoning our preconceived notions and approaching things as if it were the first encounter.

"The goal is to turn off the conscious mind and follow our impulses. Children are exceptionally good at this. They may move through several different spontaneous expressions of emotion in a single minute, without judgment or attachment. As we grow older, we’re taught to hide or bury these reactions. This mutes our inner sensitivity." - Rick Rubin

First, we must become aware of where we currently place limits on ourselves, and where our thinking lacks creativity. Where we hit a wall.

Second, we must allow ourselves to think freely. Free of judgment or attachment to our old ideas. Allowing ourselves to generate ideas no matter how stupid, ignorant, or childish they may seem. It’s these ideas that lead to true breakthroughs. Allowing ourselves to think like a child again, creating the sandbox, not being stuck inside it.

Do Something Silly

Not only does our childlike brain enhance our creativity, but it enhances our joy of living. Remember the moments of pure childlike innocence.

• Sprinting to the mailbox and back when your parents asked you to get the mail.
• The first time you experienced a live show with magical characters.
• The amazement you felt when you met The Santa Claus at the mall.

Somewhere along the way, we stop allowing ourselves to experience moments with this level of bliss and joy. Instead thinking that it’s better to approach situations with rationality and coolness.

We fall into the trap of taking everything too seriously, all of the time.

We can bring back our childlike brain, experiencing more joy, and creativity if we just allow ourselves moments of silliness.

• Next time you go get the mail, run as fast as you can, without fear of what everyone else will think of you.
• Next time you are driving in the car, try to look for something new, and ask “Why is it that way?”… explore your curiosity more.
• Next time you see a loved one run to them and hug them with the excitement of a child seeing their parent after a day of work.

We grow up and we grow serious, but as Oscar Wilde once said, “Some things are too important to be taken seriously”.

Embrace your childlike brain, your youthful wonder, to unlock more creativity and joy in your life.

Do something silly for the heck of it. It might spark a profound new idea. Even if it doesn’t, you experienced the world as it was meant to be experienced, if just for a moment.

If this email was forwarded to you subscribe here.​

For any of my prior newsletters view the full archive here.​

As always, thank you for reading, I hope you have a great week.

Gratefully Yours,

​​​

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA, 98104-2205
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​