Why creativity needs failure to succeed

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One of the reasons that creativity is so ineffable, the authors of Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind write, is that “it is so many different things at the same time!” Their book is certainly that. I’d recommend you read it but in small, digestible doses. It’s the kind of book that will have 20 people drawing 20 different conclusions from the text, and a couple of those conclusions could easily be about failure.

What does failure have to do with creativity? A whole lot, say the authors, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman and writer Carolyn Gregoire. A fear of failure hampers creativity. They bring up children as an example, saying that children haven’t yet learned to fear failure. They are also some of the most creative members of society. Failure is unavoidable, but accepting that as part of the road on your way to your goal can free you up to take more risks and learn more from your experiences.

You’re going to fail – take that risk anyway

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“The reality of creative work is that most artists will never sell their pieces, most actors and musicians will never make it big, most writers will never pen bestsellers, most startups will end in failure, and most scientists will never make earth-shattering discoveries,” say Scott and Carolyn.

For some of us (I’ll include myself in this group), this thought is terrifying. It’s the abyss, the ultimate let-down, and the stuff of nightmares. It’s also a reality that many before us have had to deal with. How do we keep the fear of failure from scaring us away?

First, it helps if you embrace the means rather than the ends. Have you ever heard someone tell you that life is about the journey, not the destination? Ideally, you’re liking your job, product, and company culture. If you’re not working with your passion, perhaps you can find something that strikes it.

First, it helps if you embrace the means rather than the ends.

The authors say that, in turn, helps with your success. “Adults who are more playful report feeling less stressed, being better able to cope with stress, and having greater life satisfaction and other positive life outcomes,” they write.

Perhaps this also means taking a look at your definition of success and widening it. Can you put a cash amount on success? Does it just mean getting to a certain level with your startup or product? Maybe there are more components to your fulfillment, like family, company culture (which can come to feel like a second family), and waking up every day excited and charged to go to work.

Can you put a time limit on success? Perhaps not. Passion and energy are often adjectives most often applied to the younger generations, but the authors argue otherwise, saying that passion “has no expiration date.” Passion – the love for something – is the reason so many people decide to take the unpredictable road of founding their own companies. Find out where that feeling fits into your definition of success and see how far it can lead you when kept alive.

“A love of one’s work is key to not only productivity but also high-level creativity,” Scott and Carolyn write.

Those that dream, do