Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

Creativity involves the production of original ideas and objects, particularly in the arts but also in other fields to solve problems or create innovations. In psychology, creativity is an idea, act, or product that transforms an existing field. Gilbert’s ideas on creativity overlap with the Hungarian American psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi. In 1970, Csíkszentmihályi developed the psychological concept “flow,” which refers to complete immersion, focus, and enjoyment in an activity. He describes it as “an almost automatic, effortless, yet highly focused state of consciousness” felt by athletes, creative people, scientists, and others (Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály. Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. HarperPerennial, 1996). Like Csíkszentmihályi, Gilbert believes that creative activity is enjoyable. One enjoys creativity, Gilbert argues, through curiosity and by viewing it as play.

Creativity changes a culture, according to Csíkszentmihályi, who distinguishes between personal creativity and cultural creativity (Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály. Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. HarperPerennial, 1996). Cultural creativity impacts the culture, while personal creativity does not and exists only within individuals. Gilbert emphasizes personal creativity over cultural creativity. She does not think that people should be responsible for impacting culture. Instead, they should create for themselves.

Csíkszentmihályi and Gilbert diverge in their opinions about where creativity is derived.