Creativity Book Summary - Creativity Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

Creativity summary

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

The Psychology of Discovery and Invention

4.1 (150 ratings)
22 mins
Table of Contents

    Creativity
    Summary of 10 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 10

    Creativity happens within a system, which is made up of a domain, a field and a person.

    We call the process by which a person comes up with a new or innovative idea creativity. Yet what exactly is the source of creativity?

    Some people believe that creativity springs somewhat magically from within each person, but it’s certainly more complicated than this. We derive creativity largely from our surroundings.

    Think about it. If creativity appears simply out of the blue, why exactly was the Italian city of Florence such a hotbed of creativity around 1400?

    It wasn’t just a coincidence that between 1400 and 1425, Florence was the epicenter of the Italian Renaissance. The city was flourishing financially; patrons of the arts encouraged artisans to explore and create ever greater works of art.

    Some of Western civilization’s great art works were created at this time, such as Lorenzo Ghiberti’s bronze doors of the Florence Baptistry and the massive dome of the Florence Cathedral, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.

    The Renaissance era illustrates the true nature of creativity, in that creativity essentially occurs within a system comprised of a domain, a field and a person.

    The domain is a broad category in which creativity occurs, such as in mathematics or music.

    Within the domain is the field, which includes individuals who are experts in the particular domain. These individuals serve as the domain’s gatekeepers, determining which new ideas should or should not be included in the domain.

    In the domain of visual arts, for example, the field consists of art teachers, museum curators and government-run cultural agencies.

    The individual person is the last component of the system. Thus creativity occurs when an individual uses a domain’s methods (like a mathematical formula or a minor key) to produce something new (like a new hypothesis or piece of music), and the new product is accepted by the field’s gatekeepers.

    Want to see all full key ideas from Creativity?

    Key ideas in Creativity

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is Creativity about?

    Creativity (1996) is an exploration of how creative people produce groundbreaking ideas. It unpacks the commonalities between creatives and their backgrounds, and explains exactly what it is that makes a creative person able to give birth to unique concepts.

    Best quote from Creativity

    Perhaps being creative is more like being involved in an automobile accident.

    —Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
    example alt text

    Who should read Creativity?

    • Artists, writers and scientists exploring human creativity
    • Creative types who dance to the beat of their own drum
    • Anyone looking for creative inspiration

    About the Author

    Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a professor of Psychology and Management at Claremont Graduate University’s Drucker School of Management in Claremont, California. Author of Beyond Boredom and Anxiety, The Evolving Self and Flow, Csikszentmihalyi has also written articles for Psychology Today, the New York Times and the Washington Post.

    Categories with Creativity

    Books like Creativity

    People ❤️ Blinkist
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked

    Start growing with Blinkist now
    28 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    91%
    Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
    *Based on survey data from Blinkist customers
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial