Cost Of Creativity

WRITEUP

Shreya Vakkaleri

5/15/20242 min read

What do the zipper, iPhone, Coca-Cola and Harry Potter have in common? Yes, you guessed it- they’re all the products of creative force. Elusive and mysterious by nature, creativity is a phenomenon that has intrigued psychologists for decades. Essentially, it is the ability to discover novel ideas, connections and solutions to problems. It lies at the core of innovation, driving society forward in a multitude of ways. Whether it's the latest sleep technology or a new flavour of potato chips, creativity has gone into developing them. Highly creative people are passionate, curious, risk-taking daydreamers that are rewarded for their endeavours through awards and fat salaries- sometimes even both! Those million dollar cheques, box office sales, Oscars and Pulitzers don’t come easy. An average Joe cannot rise to the level of Steve Jobs without tapping into his creative abilities, and of course, put those ideas into fruition.

But I want to address the darker side of high creativity, which is seldom talked about.

Bill Gates once said, “I would find a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.” More often than not, creativity has a close relation with laziness. While creative people have the brainpower to ideate, they struggle with routine work that is required to materialise their idea. They can only be productive when inspiration strikes, and struggle to get stuff done. It's the same reason why highly creative students perform poorly in traditional school environments. Their problem-solving, exploring and experimentative nature is stifled in an environment that emphasises rote learning and standardised testing. They feel bored and disengaged when their innate curiosity is not challenged. Sometimes, their unique interests and unconventional thought processes lead to them being misunderstood, bullied, ostracised and socially isolated.

High creativity is also closely correlated with disorders such as ADHD and autism. Research undertaken on creativity and ADHD found that adults demonstrated increased creativity while competing for a bonus. A study undertaken amongst 60 college students, 30 with ADHD and 30 without, found that the students with ADHD were able to produce greater word associations than those without, demonstrating an increased ability to think outside the box. It holds true amongst children as well, as found by a 2016 Spanish study. Their need for novelty inspires them to push the boundaries of creativity and experiment with different styles. Experts believe that it was ADHD that fueled the creative genius of one of history’s famous inventors- Leonardo da Vinci.

High signs of neurodivergent thinking have been observed among those on the autism spectrum. Their alternative way of processing information can lead to novel ideas. Many geniuses and prodigies have also displayed autistic tendencies- from Isaac Newton to Mozart. What differentiates those on the spectrum from their ADHD cousins is the in-depth understanding and attention to detail in their chosen field of interest.

Even for those highly creative people not grappling with these “disorders”, highly creative people face another challenge- an overwhelming desire to achieve perfection. When the output doesn’t match the picture in their heads, they go to any lengths to achieve what they expected. When that fails to happen, they simply lose motivation and abandon the project altogether. If that’s not enough, some get so disappointed that they simply destroy everything that’s been created.

But this isn’t always the case. You can get creative about productivity too! You’re blessed with the spirit of idealism to change your life for the better, which is an amazing gift. Don’t restrict yourself to the label of unproductive. Live by Walt Disney’s words: If you can dream it, you can do it. Go for it!