[karanr]

"But it’s more likely that until we truly understand how to teach creativity, their numbers are limited."

I don't believe creativity can be taught. Not now, not ever. Although everyone can be creative to an extent, you must have the drive to spend time and effort thinking about what's in front of you, and how to creatively change that. Most people are interested in being participants, and not willing to put the extra mental effort to go beyond this. Some however enjoy the creative process more so than participating.

[wharryman]

Regardless of what is true, what we should believe is that key entrepreneurial factors such as determination and creativity/taste can be learned and improved. If not, you quickly come to build the fallacy that we can never be the genius of a Shakespeare or Einstein, so why even try?[1]

Academically, it would be very interesting to find where the line can be drawn between 'in-born character traits' and 'soft skills.' In reality, you have daily rituals and activities designed to reinforce "disciple"; you have millions of dollars of investment in "leadership" training (of what quality is another conversation); and "morality" training that often takes place on (insert religious day of the week). Euripides will tell you that "Courage may be taught as a child is taught to speak." I do not claim to have extensive knowledge in learning theory, but at least some portion of our prior actions and experiences form the foundation for future actions.

Personally, I would say you train such skills by making a person take one action with the quality you seek, and then build upon that to have them take another. You change a person's environment, give them the tools to lower the 'barrier to entry' cost, and set up a result/reward feedback loop. E.g, basic training.

Final aside: in this conversation, we seem to have muddled the differentiation between the trait of creativity and the act of initiating and producing.

[1] paraphase of http://www.paulgraham.com/hs.html

[ojbyrne]

I tend to think of "creativity" as something like the physical attribute of "quickness" which is really disguised strength. If you have a solid intellectual background, good work ethic, and drive, then you've laid the basis for creativity. Doesn't mean it will actually manifest itself, but you've increased the likelihood.

[karanr]

I disagree. Solid intellectual background, good work ethic have nothing to do with creativity, nor do they lay a "basis" for it. From personal experience, I have know so many who have those attributes, but are just participants in the system. Sure, they excel, and are successful people, but devoid of creativity entirely. In fact you can argue, people who are successful inside the system because they have the attributes you mentioned, are the least motivated to challenge the status quo. They have much to lose.

[ojbyrne]

And I disagree too. If you look at actual "creative" people throughout history they generally mastered what existed before them before making a leap beyond. Picasso was skilled at traditional art and sculpture before he created cubism. Shakespeare wrote sonnets, comedies, and histories (at that time, these were accepted, even tired genres) and was very much a "participant in the system" before transcending that same system. Leonardo Da Vinci was an apprentice to another artist during his early career.

We live in an era where ego gratification makes far too many people think they're creative when really they don't even have the tools developed to be creative.

[delineal]

> In fact you can argue, people who are successful inside the system because they have the attributes you mentioned, are the least motivated to challenge the status quo.

Confidence that your contribution is worthwhile goes a long way. Most of the people I know that do not consider themselves to be "creative" are simply unwilling to take the risk that their final product will not be praised/enjoyed. They fool themselves into believing that a work is wasted time if it is not the next Mona Lisa.

I think there is also a "blank page" component. They worry about wasting time and having to redo work. Many people are simply unsure where to start, focused on the forest when they haven't yet created the first tree. They're not comfortable working on different components of the problem and trusting that at some point they'll be able to connect the dots.

Creative entrepreneurs have programmed themselves to see the journey as the reward, learning at every step regardless of outcome and applying those lessons immediately to the following steps. They redo, pivot or do whatever is necessary to get closer to the goal because they've realized (subconsciously) that the current action is already in the past. They can't change the past so moving forward is the only action they are concerned with.

[ScottBurson]

I agree it probably can't be taught, but I think it can be elicited and inspired -- and I'm quite certain it can be discouraged and often even suppressed.

If we want more creativity in the world, I think the first order of business is to stop embracing educational systems that punish it, or at the very least leave no time for it.

[wtn]

I don't know. I think more creativity gets crushed after people get out of school and go into jobs.