The Power of Ambiguity in Creativity

One of the influences on my life is a man called Simon Bailey. He was a visualiser; he’d show up with his box of coloured pens and paper, and as I tried to describe the ideas and solutions bubbling in my brain, he’d draw them. That would spark new ideas for me, which I’d try to build on, and we would do this dance of imagination and creativity together. I’m only realising this now, but he’s one of the ways I came to understand that one of the most powerful ways to show up in the world is to stay curious, just a little bit longer. 

Sarah Stein Greenberg is the Executive Director of d.school in Stanford, and the author of a wonderful new book: Creative Acts for Curious People. Her job, though, really is a paradox; to both unleash and contain creativity. But maybe that’s the nature of design, because in some ways, design is how creativity learns how to dance. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ 

Sarah reads two pages from ‘The Sixth Extinction’ by Elizabeth Kolbert. [reading begins at 18:35]

Hear us discuss: 

Resisting closure; sustaining a long hunch: “The ability to resist premature closure is one of the core skills you acquire with strong creative practice.” [26:09] | Productive struggle and uncertainty: “If you’re not having those moments of struggle, then you’re probably not working on something that is likely to result in something new, innovative, or meaningful.” [29:05] | Sitting with your feelings. [34:18]