Creativity Quote by Albert O. Hirschman
““Creativity always comes a surprise to us; therefore we can never count on it and we dare not believe in it until it has happened. In other words, we would not consciously engage upon tasks whose success clearly requires that creativity be forthcoming. Hence, the only way in which we can bring our creative resources fully into play is by misjudging the nature of the task, by presenting it to ourselves as more routine, simple, undemanding of genuine creativity that it will turn out to be””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Passions of the Modern Mind, Albert O. Hirschman, 1977
Creativity is unpredictable; we must disguise tasks as simple to unlock it.
In simple terms: Creativity appears when we think work is routine.
Key Takeaway
Treat challenging work as routine to spark creativity.
Themes
creativity
uncertainty
task framing
Mood
reflective
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- project planning
- artistic creation
- problem solving
- team brainstorming
Key Concepts
psychology
innovation
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you balance simplicity with necessary complexity?
- When does disguising difficulty hinder learning?
A Different Perspective
If the task is truly complex, pretending it’s simple may lead to poor outcomes.
