Why Adults Find It So Hard to Be Creative

Are you a creative person?
In this extensive look at creativity, I’m exploring what it means to be creative, why some people are more creative than others, and how our brains are wired for creative thinking. It’s not as simple as left/right brain, and you might rethink everything you know about creativity after this video.

Special Thanks to:
Kristy Rice @KristyRice
Scott Christian Sava @ssavaart
Sam Denby @Wendoverproductions @jetlagthegame @halfasinteresting
Thomas Frank @Thomasfrank @ThomasFrankExplains
Laurie Shannon @TheIcingArtist

Chapters:
00:00 Why are only some people creative?
02:08 What Is a creative person?
05:48 Is Creativity a Personality Trait?
07:45 What is Creativity?
10:36 Connecting the Dots
12:03 Test: Can You Think Outside the Box?
15:59 Right-Brain Myth
16:16 The Neuroscience of Creative Thinking
17:36 ADHD & Creativity
18:00 The Special Switch in Our Brain
19:49 Are Kids More Creative Than Adults?
24:00 Are We Killing Creative Thinking in Our Kids?
31:30 Why Is Creativity So Important?
34:16 Building Creative Muscles
35:23 How to Increase Your Creativity

References and Further Reading:

Studies:

Books:
Making Ideas Happen, Scott Belsky
The Creative Act: A Way of Being, Rick Ruben

Articles:

As you can see, a lot of research went into this video! So shares and comments are hugely appreciated, and please subscribe if you found this interesting!

[dgswatercolor]

I’ve always said I’m not creative- I’m artistic. Give me an example or directions and I can produce. Give me materials with no direction and I’ll blank. This is something I’m trying hard to work on as I love CREATING but I struggle with originality

[ssavaart]

This was such a wonderful and deep dive into creativity! Bravo, my friend.

[WWarped]

As children, we play, and play is linked to creativity. As we grow, this idea of play and imagination is taken away from us. It's classed as childish. So much is geared towards exams that have financial value. We forget the process of a playful imagination, the chaos of mess and leaving toys about the place. We seem to link play which is creative with childish. Not fun, or exploration, which is vital in creativity. I play, and I play a lot. Be it games, with words, drawing physically or digitally, thinking, learning, etc.... Also, far too many people link creativity with success. You don't need to have a book published to be creative. You don't need to sell a painting to be creative. As soon as that pencil touches paper, you're being creative.

[katwags]

I had an amazing design teacher who would give us a project, then halfway through, he would tell us to make a "wrong" version of the project. The idea was to break whatever rules we had set in our heads as "right" for design. He wanted to encourage us to go back to that childhood creativity. It was amazing to have a space where we were given permission and encouraged try new things, without the worry of failure. In the class, often the "wrong" version would turn into the best version of that project. It definitely gave me gave me a new perspective on ways to be creative.

[kimieatsu]

I’m currently using art in my healing journey to learn to stop being so afraid of life and living it the way I want to live.

[aliceaiken]

I've been accused of being addicted to art.

[EvelynRobinson]

I'm creative, but I have ADHD & anxiety and find it hard to start something or keep going with something. I joke that my hobby is buying supplies for hobbies, that I'll never use

[Thia-saurus]

"break it!" probably an answer no adult would have given, but your son found an Enchanted Golden Apple in that broken box. Kudos to him, those are rare! 🍎

[EllenTheArtist]

It's the lack of time. Doing boring jobs, time consuming undesirable work suffocate the creativity. I speak from my own experience..

[stroodledoodles]

In an age where creativity is either underappreciated or being exploited (whether it be by AI or greedy corporations) this video was such a breath of fresh air. It was so nice to see like minded people talk about how important it is, not just for artists but for everyone. So thank you for the hardwork!

[montikarla]

My high school art teacher was an artist himself, and I feel like I was constantly being punished grade-wise because I didn't create projects he wanted me to create. I was lucky to get a 70% in his class at any time. It really messed me up and made me blocked. I am struggling to get through that even 22 years later. School left me traumatized on so many levels.

My goals this year are focused on just allowing myself to play artistically and enjoy is, as well as working through some of the blocks that I have that keep holding me back. I have so many art and craft supplies and this year is the year I am going to play and try new things and enjoy it!

Thank you for this video! I am sure I will come back and re-watch it several times this year.

[canadiansquirrel]

when sewing in high school I adjusted the pattern so that it would actually fit me, the teacher marked my garment lower telling me I didin't follow the pattern

[clarakokegei]

I'm a creative person. Yet I struggle to find my niche. So many interests

[ginagriffin]

I am an art & DT (design & technology) teacher in England (11 to 18 years) and this really struck a chord with me. Schools are required to get results, as you can imagine this means we can be quite prescriptive and this limits the infinite possibilities that creative thinking without confines brings. This works for some students but I think for the majority it is incredibly prohibitive when it comes to creativity. Unfortunately, I feel that creativity (in many different scopes) is massively undervalued and this is a massive struggle for me.

[TemiDansoArt]

The queen of deep dives! I thoroughly enjoyed the way you broke this down, an hour went by so quick.

[shadowheartart]

Box! 🤩 It's a blank, empty box for me to go nuts on?

*clears throat*
- Turn into cat bed
- Decorate the outside with either colours or objects (beads, gravel, sand, flowers, moss, whatever)
- Make dividers in it, to store small stuff
- Turn into tiny case with drawers and such
- Turn into tiny herb garden (just needs water resistant lining)
- Make it into wind chimes

...

Or you can use it to store stuff in it 😂

Edit after watching the rest of the video: super interesting, and really well put together. Love the different takes from all the interviewed people.
This must have been a massive project to undertake ❤

[margueritemitchell]

Overflowing with ideas, and the squirrels and rabbit holes, super easy to over focus at times ...I love Scott, I made a decision to focus and make paint/draw, rather than photograph and travel vlog I feel better.

[jellyfishbubbles]

My experience in school that had a negative impact on my creativity was not from the teachers or the rigidness of the curriculum, it was the other students. One instance that sticks out is in drama class. We were doing improve and the person I was assigned to totally turned down what I was doing by straight up saying "no"

[iiruniaalice]

i really like the format, and I really like the direction is going. The way you framed creativity makes so much sense, connecting the dots, building a human connection from chaos. It gives information, makes you think and challenges you to view of creativity in a different way. I hope that the risk you took on changing to this format pays out, and does resinate with people

[jeme]

Even an art teacher said something was done wrong (as opposed to advice to improve new skills). Why is an art class even graded at all? Why is there a rule that a watercolour is to be signed only in pencil? If I am making art (for fun, presumably) why is my creativity being judged?