How to Coach Yourself and Others Techniques For Coaching | Page 170

To Be More Creative, Think Within the Box
Ernie Schenck is an advertising and creative director, as well as the
author of the book "The Houdini Solution". He argues that the best way
to come up with great ideas is not to think outside of the box, but
instead to think within the box. He explains this concept in his squidoo
lens, houdinisolution, and quotes psychologist and creativity expert
Rollo May as follows:
"Creativity requires limits, for the creative act arises out of the struggle
of human beings and against that which limits them."
Schenck argues that you don't need to wait for "the muse" to appear or
for your life circumstances to change; instead, work with the
circumstances in which you currently find yourself and use any existing
parameters or limitations as a vehicle to give your creativity direction.
He adds that by the time you finish reading "The Houdini Solution"
you'll understand the following:
"The biggest secret of truly productive creative people is that they
embrace obstacles, they don't run from them. In their mind, every
setback is an opportunity, every limitation is a chance. Where others
see a wall, they see a doorway."
One of the examples used by Schenck to illustrate his point is that of
Jack White, a guitarist and songwriter and the leader of the Grammy
Award-winning rock band, White Stripes. These are some of Jack
White's self-imposed restrictions:
* No computers.
* No digital recording technology.
* No bass guitars.
* No studio equipment invented after 1968.
* No clothes that aren't red, white or black.
This forced creative captivity nurtures innovation and results in music
that is more centered on talent than on technology.

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