Cultivating a state of mind where new ideas are born
This experience is common in the childhoods of people who go on to do great work, as I have written elsewhere. Nearly everyone who does great work has some episode of early solitary work. As the philosopher Bertrand Russell remarked, the development of gifted and creative individuals, such as Newton or Whitehead, seems to require a period in which ... See more
Cultivating a State of Mind Where New Ideas Are Born
If these are some of the material conditions, there are equally important social ones, in particular the presence of a surrounding network or milieu. It’s rare for people to develop compelling and coherent ideas on their own. Individuals and teams flourish best in a vibrant milieu that brings together comment and criticism, competition with peers,
... See moreGeoff Mulgan • Another World Is Possible
Avoiding feedback also doesn’t mean complete social isolation. A small research lab or a mission-driven startup can approximate a single mind and explore freely. But it does mean taking your own ideas seriously enough to see them through, even if others disagree. Even self-doubt as a form of feedback needs to be carefully regulated.
Leber • The Feedback Tradeoff
I don't know if it's possible to cultivate originality, but there are definitely ways to make the most of however much you have. For example, you're much more likely to have original ideas when you're working on something. Original ideas don't come from trying to have original ideas. They come from trying to build or understand something slightly t... See more
How to Do Great Work
The trick to having good ideas is not to sit around in glorious isolation and try to think big thoughts. The trick is to get more parts on the table.