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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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The Creativity Choice summary
Zorana Ivcevic Pringle
The Science of Making Decisions to Turn Ideas Into Action
20 mins
Brief summary
The Creativity Choice by Zorana Ivcevic Pringle delves into the nature of creativity as a series of intentional decisions, providing insights and strategies to nurture our creative potential and harness it effectively in personal and professional domains.
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The Creativity Choice
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Key idea 1 of 5
Original work begins with intentional action
Creativity isn’t a talent. It’s a decision. Every creative act – whether you’re drafting a pitch, coding a new feature, or sketching a design – begins when you choose to engage with uncertainty and do something original. That first decision is the most important: to show up and start, even when you don’t feel ready.
You don’t need a grand idea to begin, just a commitment to the process. You need to decide what to focus on, what to ignore, when to push forward, when to change direction. These decisions aren’t always conscious, but they’re all-important. A painter selects one sketch over another; a founder decides which feature makes the first cut; a researcher frames a question no one else is asking. These aren’t bursts of brilliance – they’re results of structured thinking, emotional stamina, and accumulated experience.
To make better creative choices, start by feeding your mind well. Read outside your field. Gather examples. Talk to people who think differently. Original ideas come from unusual combinations, and you can’t make those if your inputs are narrow. This isn’t optional – it’s foundational. A wider lens leads to better questions, stronger connections, and more useful ideas.
Creative work also demands emotional management. You’ll doubt yourself. You’ll get stuck. And sometimes, you’ll fail. These aren’t signs to stop – they’re part of the process. Learn to tolerate ambiguity. Notice when perfectionism is slowing you down. Instead of waiting for confidence, take action. Confidence tends to follow movement, not precede it.
One of the most overlooked parts of creativity is editing. Knowing what to leave out is as important as knowing what to put in. This requires stepping back and making tough calls. Is this idea solving the right problem? Is it too safe? Is it original enough to matter? These are practical, creative decisions – not abstract questions. Answering them well requires space, feedback, and objectivity.
You’ll also need to deal with external pressure: deadlines, expectations, norms. Don’t let them define your decisions. Recognize when your environment is limiting your thinking and adjust accordingly. Sometimes that means seeking solitude. Sometimes it means switching collaborators. Sometimes it means pushing back.
Above all, don’t romanticize creativity. It’s not mystical. It’s practical. It’s a repeated, deliberate engagement with problems worth solving. And it starts with one question: Are you willing to choose it today?
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What is The Creativity Choice about?
The Creativity Choice (2025) dismantles the myth that creativity is a fixed trait and shows that it’s a series of choices anyone can learn to make. Grounded in decades of scientific research, it explains how creativity emerges through motivation, mindset, and deliberate action – and offers practical strategies for turning ideas into real outcomes in every area of your life.
Who should read The Creativity Choice?
- Anyone looking to boost creativity in their daily work
- Leaders aiming to foster innovation on their teams
- Creatives feeling stuck or uninspired
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