--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Creativity is not a solitary process. It…" description: "\"Creativity is not a solitary process. It happens within networks... when talented people get together, when idea systems and mentalities merge.\" — Davi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc0/david-brooks-644_collaboration_creativity-is-not-a-solitary-process-it_967979.png" --- # Creativity is not a solitary process. It happens within… ![“Creativity is not a solitary process. It happens within networks... when talented people get together, when idea systems and mentalities merge.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc0/david-brooks-644_collaboration_creativity-is-not-a-solitary-process-it_967979.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc0/david-brooks-644_collaboration_creativity-is-not-a-solitary-process-it_967979.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc0/david-brooks-644_collaboration_creativity-is-not-a-solitary-process-it_967979.png) > “Creativity is not a solitary process. It happens within networks... when talented people get together, when idea systems and mentalities merge.” [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creativity thrives in networks where talented people and ideas intersect. **In simple terms:** Ideas grow through social connections. Key Takeaway Cultivate diverse, collaborative environments. Themes creativity network ideas Mood enthusiastic forward‑looking Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - innovation labs - cross‑functional teams - creative workshops Key Concepts social capital interdisciplinary collaboration Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance collaboration with individual voice? - What structures encourage healthy idea exchange? A Different Perspective Groupthink can stifle originality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Mentality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentality/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Talented people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talented-people/) ## Related quotes > [Some writing is a really nice solitary process, in a way, because you can be a little self-conscious around other people. If it's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marketa-irglova/some-writing-is-a-really-nice-solitary-process-in-a-way-because-you/) [Marketa Irglova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marketa-irglova/) > [Creativity is not a solitary movement. That is its power. Whatever is touched by it, whoever hears it, sees it, senses it, knows it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-pinkola-estes/creativity-is-not-a-solitary-movement-that-is-its-power-whatever-is/) [Clarissa Pinkola Estes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-pinkola-estes/) > [Lots of creativity is and should be solitary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/lots-of-creativity-is-and-should-be-solitary/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Writing is a way of drifting within my own mind: almost a solitary process, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twinkle-khanna/writing-is-a-way-of-drifting-within-my-own-mind-almost-a-solitary/) [Twinkle Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twinkle-khanna/) > [So many people have this idea: I want to achieve something great or be somebody great. And they neglect the step that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/so-many-people-have-this-idea-i-want-to-achieve-something-great-or-be/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [I would rather have 10 people working on a record that are really committed and believe in it and love it, than 50 people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-would-rather-have-10-people-working-on-a-record-that-are-really/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Everyone is in favor of free speech. Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people's idea of it is that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/everyone-is-in-favor-of-free-speech-hardly-a-day-passes-without-its/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [What I'm after is something different than supplying people with the idea that I'm writing an important play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/what-i-m-after-is-something-different-than-supplying-people-with-the/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [People have this idea of me being some kind of monster, and that's the complete opposite of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/people-have-this-idea-of-me-being-some-kind-of-monster-and-that-s-the/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [Some people have no idea what they're doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/some-people-have-no-idea-what-they-re-doing-and-a-lot-of-them-are/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [When people see what I have now, they have no idea of where I came from and how I didn't have anything growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-mayweather-jr/when-people-see-what-i-have-now-they-have-no-idea-of-where-i-came/) [Floyd Mayweather, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-mayweather-jr/) > [My question is "when did other people give up the idea of being a poet?" You know, when we are kids we make up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stafford/my-question-is-when-did-other-people-give-up-the-idea-of-being-a-poet/) [William Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-stafford/) > [“Communism? Most people have no idea what it is. I do not exaggerate. Look around this restaurant, ask any of these fine citizens. 'Excuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/communism-most-people-have-no-idea-what-it-is-i-do-not-exaggerate/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [People have this idea of motherhood, the same way they have an idea of women as we reach a certain age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/people-have-this-idea-of-motherhood-the-same-way-they-have-an-idea-of/) [Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/) > [I really think that even though Pinterest isn't a lot of people's idea of hard technology, it helps make everyday things a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/i-really-think-that-even-though-pinterest-isn-t-a-lot-of-people-s/) [Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/) ## More by David Brooks > [The brain is not the mind. It is probably impossible to look at a map of brain activity and predict or even understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/the-brain-is-not-the-mind-it-is-probably-impossible-to-look-at-a-map/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [When you're running for president, you're a guest in the living room for four years. And if people don't think you're going to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/when-you-re-running-for-president-you-re-a-guest-in-the-living-room/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“I’ve come to think that flourishing consists of putting yourself in situations in which you lose self-consciousness and become fused with other people, experiences,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-ve-come-to-think-that-flourishing-consists-of-putting-yourself-in/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [We have rapidly increasing technology, which is making life very good for people who are good at using words, and not so good for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/we-have-rapidly-increasing-technology-which-is-making-life-very-good/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I think Barack Obama's foreign policy will be regarded more failure than success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-think-barack-obama-s-foreign-policy-will-be-regarded-more-failure/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [If you know that most processing is below the level of awareness, you learn the value of sleep. You're brain is working on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-you-know-that-most-processing-is-below-the-level-of-awareness-you/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Trade has suddenly become massively unpopular. I think that's massively unjust. I think free trade has been wonderful for America on balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/trade-has-suddenly-become-massively-unpopular-i-think-that-s/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Politics is based on social identity, and so, again, there is going to be differences between rural and urban and between left and right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/politics-is-based-on-social-identity-and-so-again-there-is-going-to/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Pain now is better than pain deferred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/pain-now-is-better-than-pain-deferred/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [It’s worth noting that you can devote your life to community service and be a total schmuck. You can spend your life on Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-worth-noting-that-you-can-devote-your-life-to-community-service/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [If it feels all right for you, it's probably OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/if-it-feels-all-right-for-you-it-s-probably-ok/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I do think Donald Trump is a fundamentally unstabilizing force and that the people who swore to uphold the Constitution are going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-do-think-donald-trump-is-a-fundamentally-unstabilizing-force-and/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [Tim Kaine has been obviously a governor. He's been a senator. He's one of the smartest rising stars in the Democratic Party. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/tim-kaine-has-been-obviously-a-governor-he-s-been-a-senator-he-s-one/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“Women, in general, are less visually aroused than men, a trait that has nearly cut the market for pornography in half.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/women-in-general-are-less-visually-aroused-than-men-a-trait-that-has/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I wasn't born with a tie or with Mark Shields stapled to my left hip. I have another life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/i-wasn-t-born-with-a-tie-or-with-mark-shields-stapled-to-my-left-hip/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) [Explore all 431 David Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## More Collaboration quotes > [I like to collaborate with other people for studio recordings because I believe collaboration, in any form, makes music better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-barlow/i-like-to-collaborate-with-other-people-for-studio-recordings-because/) [Lou Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-barlow/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [Today's world requires a different leadership style - more collaboration and teamwork, including using Web 2.0 technologies. If you had told me I'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/today-s-world-requires-a-different-leadership-style-more/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [“Damn, amigo. Just how much Oprah have you been watching since I’ve been gone?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-adrian/damn-amigo-just-how-much-oprah-have-you-been-watching-since-i-ve-been/) [Lara Adrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-adrian/) > [As an entrepreneur and investor, I prioritize construction and collaboration. Whether it's a five-person start-up or a global giant, the companies that are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/as-an-entrepreneur-and-investor-i-prioritize-construction-and/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [On any collaboration, you want to respect your music and the other's music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nam/on-any-collaboration-you-want-to-respect-your-music-and-the-other-s/) [Eric Nam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nam/) > [“CWC (Church Women Concerned) enabled us as women in that part of South Africa, to see ourselves as ordinary citizens who found themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/cwc-church-women-concerned-enabled-us-as-women-in-that-part-of-south/) Sindiwe Magona > [Steadman! Any guy that's got Oprah as a girlfriend, I mean that's a good dude. I want to talk to him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bush/steadman-any-guy-that-s-got-oprah-as-a-girlfriend-i-mean-that-s-a/) [Billy Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bush/) > [There are a lot of people whove been able to ditch their Windows machines and switch over to Linux because they can now use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-friedman/there-are-a-lot-of-people-whove-been-able-to-ditch-their-windows/) [Nat Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-friedman/) > [I realized that what I was looking for was doing collaborations with other people - people who can play a ballad, rock, jazz. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/i-realized-that-what-i-was-looking-for-was-doing-collaborations-with/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) > [I've done loads of collaborations and I'm never totally happy with the outcome because it feels like you're compromising something of yourself in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-mohawke/i-ve-done-loads-of-collaborations-and-i-m-never-totally-happy-with/) Hudson Mohawke > [“With commitment and vision, it is possible to build a bridge between potential partners and communities whose work is of relevance to peace-building initiatives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/widad-akrawi/with-commitment-and-vision-it-is-possible-to-build-a-bridge-between/) [Widad Akrawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/widad-akrawi/) > [I love mixing amateurs and professionals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lasse-hallstrom/i-love-mixing-amateurs-and-professionals/) [Lasse Hallstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lasse-hallstrom/) > [Working together precedes winning together...collaboration is multiplication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/working-together-precedes-winning-together-collaboration-is/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) [Browse all 1,240 Collaboration quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Creativity is not a solitary process. 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