Choose to be Curious Ep. #305: Curiosity & Creativitry: The Know-How, Practice & Mastery of Creativity, with Stan Lai
Nov 13, 2025
Join renowned playwright Stan Lai, a luminary in contemporary Asian theatre, as he introduces his coining of 'Creativitry'—a blend of creativity and curiosity. He passionately argues that curiosity fuels artistic expression, using Einstein as an example. Stan discusses the wisdom needed in creative practice and shares a pivotal failure that taught him about limitations. The conversation dives into how actors harness curiosity to delve into character motivations, and the idea of an 'inspiration warehouse' for creative connections is unveiled. A unique analogy game caps off this insightful dialogue!
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Creativity As A Practiced Mastery
- Stan Lai coined "Creativitry" to capture the practice and mastery of creativity beyond existing words.
- He reframes creativity as know-how, practice, and a lifelong re-learning process.
Curiosity Means Liking Strangeness
- The Chinese word for curiosity (好奇) literally means "to like strangeness," linking curiosity to liking the wondrous or surprising.
- This linguistic view highlights curiosity as an appetite for the unfamiliar rather than a single mindset.
Curiosity As The Creative Engine
- Stan Lai calls curiosity the engine of creative work, essential to studying life, people, and stories.
- He ties curiosity to major breakthroughs, citing Einstein as an example of obsessive inquiry fueling discovery.
