It’s no secret that creativity is a highly valued attribute. Whether you’re an artist, writer, musician, or even mechanical engineer, you should always seek to boost creativity in your endeavors. But statistically, most people do not feel empowered in this way. Overall, three-quarters of individuals polled do not feel they are living up to their creative potential. Likewise, four out of every five adults feel more pressure to be productive as opposed to being creative. Therefore, finding ways to boost creativity is vital in combatting these creativity shortcomings.
Creative talents are not innate skills that are only awarded to some. In fact, we all have the potential to be creative. But many times, obstacles stand in the way. Identifying these barriers to our creativity is essential. At the same time, finding ways to boost creativity can be empowering.
At this point, you’re probably wondering if we have a solution. We do! Here are three of the best TED Talks about enhancing creativity. Enjoy!
Three of the Best TED Talks to Boost Creativity
When it comes to creativity, several issues need to be considered. In many instances, fears and anxieties can interfere with your creative confidence. In others, the inability to feed your creative side can undermine your potential. Understanding this, some of the best TED Talks help us appreciate why we sometimes struggle in this area. The following TED Talks are “must-sees” when it comes to creativity.
Stefan Sagmeister, “The Power of Time Off”
Stefan Sagmeister is a highly-successful furniture designer whose mission is to boost creativity in order to enhance his life’s fulfillment. After realizing that he would eventually adapt and become bored in his design concepts, he made a change. Specifically, he closed his design firm an entire year for a sabbatical. He now does this every seven years. In doing so, he is able to boost creativity for his firm, which he details in his presentation. He also describes how companies like 3M and Google utilize these same approaches to boost creativity. His inspiring stories and those of these other companies make this one of the best TED Talks for creativity.
David Kelley, “How to Build Your Creative Confidence”
As founder of the design firm IDEO, David Kelley is an expert on design thinking and creativity. However, he has also observed how many consider themselves un-creative or simply not talented in this manner. He believes this stems from early experiences in life where we are critiqued for our creative efforts. In essence, he believes many lack creative confidence that undermines their potential. The reason this is one of the best TED Talks for creativity relates to its ability to address creative self-efficacy. Kelley’s mission is to help all of us boost creativity by instilling in us greater creative confidence.
Elizabeth Gilbert, “Your Elusive Creative Genius”
Elizabeth Gilbert is best known as the author of Eat, Pray, Love. But her discussion about creativity represents one of the best TED Talks on the subject. In the video, Gilbert ponders why so many creatives over the centuries are naturally linked to mental instability. Likewise, she strives to understand why fears and anxieties are more prevalent among creative endeavors. Her belief is this relates to the internalization of creative powers rather than considering its genius existing beyond ourselves. By releasing the burden of the creative genius and allowing greater psychological distance, one can boost creativity. Her unique insights regarding this subject make this one of the best TED Talks on this topic.
Time to Boost Creativity in Your Own Life
Believe it or not, we are all creative individuals with unique talents and insights. Each of the presenters in the aforementioned TED Talks provides inspiring and motivational messages that should empower us all. Without question, obstacles exist that hinder our progress in this area. But the TED Talk presenters help us understand these obstacles and ways to get past them. In doing so, we better realize our true purpose in life as the creative individuals we were intended to be.
