We crave the weird—the quirky, the eccentric, the peculiar, the freaky, the far-out—because it estranges us from our normal habits of thought and perception, nullifies old conceptual maps, and so propels us into uncharted regions, outlandish and bracing, where we must create, if we are to thrive, coordinates more capacious than the ones we already

Highly creative people have more diverse experiences than most people. They also think more deeply about their experiences than most people. This approach—built around diversity and thoughtfulness—breeds opportunities for connection, the foundation of creativity.

“Be Your Unapologetically Weird Self” “I gave a commencement speech in Minnesota few years ago [at the Carlson School of Management]. The core of it was to be your unapologetically weird self. I think authenticity is one of the most lacking things out there these days.” An excerpt from that speech: “Weirdness is why we adore our friends. . . .