--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Creative individuals tend to be smart…" description: "\"Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naive at the same time... Creative individuals have a combination of playfulness and discipline, or res..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_being-smart_creative-individuals-tend-to-be-smart-ye_2751718.jpg" --- # Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naive at… ![“Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naive at the same time... Creative individuals have a combination of playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility.” quote by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_being-smart_creative-individuals-tend-to-be-smart-ye_2751718.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_being-smart_creative-individuals-tend-to-be-smart-ye_2751718.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ed/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_being-smart_creative-individuals-tend-to-be-smart-ye_2751718.jpg) > “Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naive at the same time... Creative individuals have a combination of playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility.” [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative people blend intelligence with a childlike openness, balancing playful curiosity and disciplined focus. **In simple terms:** Creativity mixes smarts and naiveté, play and responsibility. Key Takeaway Embrace both playfulness and discipline. Themes creativity intelligence playfulness discipline balance Mood inspired thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - artistic projects - problem solving - innovation - team collaboration Key Concepts flow psychology of creativity dual nature Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture play while meeting responsibilities? - When does discipline hinder creativity? A Different Perspective Play can become reckless without discipline, and discipline can stifle spontaneity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-smart/) [Combination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combination/) [Combination Playfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/combination-playfulness-3104795/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative Individuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-individuals-2514427/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Irresponsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresponsibility/) [Naive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naive/) [Playfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playfulness/) [Playfulness Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playfulness-discipline-3104794/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smart/) ## Related quotes > [Creative individuals are more likely to have not only the strengths of their own gender but those of the other one, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/creative-individuals-are-more-likely-to-have-not-only-the-strengths/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [ If I had to express in one word what makes their \[creative individuals'\] personalities different from others, it's complexity. They show tendencies of thought… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/if-i-had-to-express-in-one-word-what-makes-their-creative-individuals/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [To be creative, a person has to internalize the entire system that makes creativity possible. Creative individuals are remarkable for their ability to adapt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/to-be-creative-a-person-has-to-internalize-the-entire-system-that/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [The crazy creatives are the creatives who never go completely mad. They aren't so easily disheartened by the seemingly endless amounts of scrutiny that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-crazy-creatives-are-the-creatives-who-never-go-completely-mad/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [It is widely believed that interpersonal relationships of an intimate kind are the chief, if not the only, source of human happiness, yet the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-storr/it-is-widely-believed-that-interpersonal-relationships-of-an-intimate/) [Anthony Storr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-storr/) > [When creative individuals are given a stage, they have the power to advance humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pharrell-williams/when-creative-individuals-are-given-a-stage-they-have-the-power-to/) [Pharrell Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pharrell-williams/) > [Through our own creative experience we came to know that the real tradition in art is not housed only in museums and art galleries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawren-harris/through-our-own-creative-experience-we-came-to-know-that-the-real-2/) [Lawren Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawren-harris/) > [Through our own creative experience we came to know that the real tradition in art is not housed only in museums and art galleries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawren-harris/through-our-own-creative-experience-we-came-to-know-that-the-real/) [Lawren Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawren-harris/) > [One of the major challenges facing creative individuals is that of building upon the continuity of human knowledge while achieving novel insights. ... On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-john-steiner/one-of-the-major-challenges-facing-creative-individuals-is-that-of/) [Vera John-Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-john-steiner/) > [“Most creative individuals find out early what their best rhythms are for sleeping, eating, and working, and abide by them even when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-mckeown/most-creative-individuals-find-out-early-what-their-best-rhythms-are/) [Greg McKeown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-mckeown/) > [“scenius.” Under this model, great ideas are often birthed by a group of creative individuals—artists, curators, thinkers, theorists, and other tastemakers—who make up an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/scenius-under-this-model-great-ideas-are-often-birthed-by-a-group-of/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [“If you believe in the lone genius myth, creativity is an antisocial act, performed by only a few great figures — mostly dead men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-kleon/if-you-believe-in-the-lone-genius-myth-creativity-is-an-antisocial/) [Austin Kleon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-kleon/) > [It is my experience that people who don't participate in society, who don't have jobs, who don't have friends, are just very stuck in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-is-my-experience-that-people-who-don-t-participate-in-society-who/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must protect each other against the attacks of those self-appointed watchdogs of patriotism now abroad in the land who irresponsibly pin red labels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-henry-hildebrand/we-must-protect-each-other-against-the-attacks-of-those-self/) [Joel Henry Hildebrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-henry-hildebrand/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) ## More by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi > [“Entropy is the normal state of consciousness—a condition that is neither useful nor enjoyable. To avoid this condition, people are naturally eager to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/entropy-is-the-normal-state-of-consciousness-a-condition-that-is/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Most enjoyable activities are not natural; they demand an effort that initially one is reluctant to make. But once the interaction starts to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/most-enjoyable-activities-are-not-natural-they-demand-an-effort-that/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [People without an internalized symbolic system can all too easily become captives of the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/people-without-an-internalized-symbolic-system-can-all-too-easily/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Through learning we grow, becoming more than we were before, and in that sense learning is unselfish, because it results in the transformation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/through-learning-we-grow-becoming-more-than-we-were-before-and-in/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“Unfortunately, many people find the only challenges they can respond to are violence, gambling, random sex, or drugs. Some of these experiences can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/unfortunately-many-people-find-the-only-challenges-they-can-respond/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [It is essential to learn to enjoy life. It really does not make sense to go through the motions of existence if one does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-essential-to-learn-to-enjoy-life-it-really-does-not-make-sense/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“It is usual to explain the motivation of those who enjoy dangerous activities as some sort of pathological need: they are trying to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-usual-to-explain-the-motivation-of-those-who-enjoy-dangerous/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“Wisdom and integrity cannot be found in any single domain. A broader viewpoint that breaks across disciplinary boundaries is needed, a way of understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/wisdom-and-integrity-cannot-be-found-in-any-single-domain-a-broader/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/for-better-or-worse-our-future-will-be-determined-in-large-part-by/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Many business leaders today view their jobs as entailing responsibility for the welfare of the wider community. These individuals do not define themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/many-business-leaders-today-view-their-jobs-as-entailing/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [The rules themselves are clear enough, and within everyone’s reach. But many forces, both within ourselves and in the environment, stand in the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/the-rules-themselves-are-clear-enough-and-within-everyone-s-reach-but/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [When each of these three elements of vision-concern for excellence, for people and for the wider environment-are present, business is transformed from a tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-each-of-these-three-elements-of-vision-concern-for-excellence/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [If an enterprise does not aspire to be the best of its kind, it will attract second-rate employees, and it will be soon forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/if-an-enterprise-does-not-aspire-to-be-the-best-of-its-kind-it-will/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Only direct control of experience, the ability to derive moment-by-moment enjoyment from everything we do, can overcome the obstacles to fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/only-direct-control-of-experience-the-ability-to-derive-moment-by/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Try to be surprised by something every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/try-to-be-surprised-by-something-every-day/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) [Explore all 262 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) ## More Being smart quotes > [But if you get chronically, psychosocially stressed, you're going to compromise your health. So, essentially, we've evolved to be smart enough to make ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/but-if-you-get-chronically-psychosocially-stressed-you-re-going-to/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [Listen! Say less rather than more. If you want to be smart, play stupid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-rubinstein/listen-say-less-rather-than-more-if-you-want-to-be-smart-play-stupid/) [Helena Rubinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-rubinstein/) > [I hated grunge. No one’s more feminist than me, but you don’t have to look as if you don’t give a - you know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-hated-grunge-no-one-s-more-feminist-than-me-but-you-don-t-have-to/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [For the past few years, I've been more selective than I have any right to be, but I think that's finally starting to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzy-caplan/for-the-past-few-years-i-ve-been-more-selective-than-i-have-any-right/) [Lizzy Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzy-caplan/) > [If you're stupid enough to whiff, you should be smart enough to forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/if-you-re-stupid-enough-to-whiff-you-should-be-smart-enough-to-forget/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [I learned just to be a belligerent asshole, which was really: "You have to get what you need to get out of it." You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fincher/i-learned-just-to-be-a-belligerent-asshole-which-was-really-you-have/) [David Fincher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fincher/) > [I know it sounds weird, but my definition of 'sexy' has changed as I've gotten older. And being smart and informed makes me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-shahi/i-know-it-sounds-weird-but-my-definition-of-sexy-has-changed-as-i-ve/) [Sarah Shahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-shahi/) > [It's always better to be wise than to be smart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/it-s-always-better-to-be-wise-than-to-be-smart/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [Each practitioner thinks there's one magic way to get a machine to be smart, and so they're all wasting their time in a sense.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-minsky/each-practitioner-thinks-there-s-one-magic-way-to-get-a-machine-to-be/) [Marvin Minsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-minsky/) > [All my serving utensils are measured. It's not obvious, because they're really beautiful, but I have the option of tracking what I'm eating. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-vincent/all-my-serving-utensils-are-measured-it-s-not-obvious-because-they-re/) [Ali Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-vincent/) > [We should all feel confident in our intelligence. 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