James O’Brien is a well-known radio journalist and author in the UK who also has a podcast, named “Full Disclosure.” Back in August, he talked with the even more well-known comic, John Cleese of Monty Python fame, on the subject of “creativity.”
Here are takeaways of the big ideas the podcast generated, both John’s and our own:
When you get old (John Cleese is 83), you stop caring so much about what other people think. This is its own form of freedom.
John Cleese said his former collaborator, the psychiatrist, Robin Skynner, used to talk about how every personality is in fact composed of three sub-personalities: The Wise Man/Woman, The Boring/Responsible Adult, and the Carefree, Playful, Creative Child. These three selves are always in conflict with each other.
When you get to a certain point in life, for some reason, the need to be “terribly important” takes over. This is deadly to the creative spirit.
“PLAY” is central to creativity. No play, no create. It’s that simple.
If you REALLY want to get good at something, you REALLY need to get interested in it first.
It’s not enough to be “creative.” It’s not enough to “flow.” You also need the hard stuff: grit, logic, discipline. Otherwise, your ideas won’t survive when things get tough, when your ‘creative baby’ meets worldly resistance.
You can’t force creativity. You can only put yourself in a space where the chances of creativity are maximized. Only you know what that space looks like.
Creativity comes from the unconscious. We pretend we have more control over it than we do because that makes us look smarter. Alas!
There is no creative machine. There is only the creative heart. You can’t understand creativity without understanding your true nature.
When you say no, you get to choose where to direct your time and energy. It becomes easier as we get older.
We humans are easily distracted. To capture attention beyond a few minutes requires wonder and intrigue. A good story can do that. That’s its power.
For more content like this, check out our last podcast review featuring Sarah Kauss, on how she built S’well, a high-end reusable water bottle company.
