The Creativity Choice: The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas into Action

Creativity is not a gift bestowed upon a lucky few but the repeated decision to do the frustrating work of turning the “spark of an idea... into something visible and tangible,” according to this smart debut manual. Pringle, a senior research scientist at Yale, breaks the creative process into three parts, outlining how readers must first learn to embrace the “uncomfortable uncertainty” of exploring potentially unfamiliar solutions, and leverage their emotions to fuel different types of creative thinking (happiness lends itself to expansive brainstorming, but gloomy moods are valuable for identifying mistakes and anticipating obstacles). Contrary to the stereotype of the lone genius, Pringle contends that creativity is not a solo pursuit, and details how to use one’s social network for support and feedback. Drawing from a wealth of research studies and real-world success stories, Pringle provides an expansive vision of creativity with a valuable focus on day-to-day tasks and professional environments (where creativity can foster “greater profitability and higher growth”). The result is an intelligent and pragmatic guide to thinking outside the box. (May)