Clear Thinking at The Wrong Time

Clear and precise thinking is logical, predictable, and rational. It helps us plan, analyze, and make sense of things. It also activates our analytical left brain—which is exactly what we want when doing analytical work.

But when it comes to growing a great idea or creating something from nothing, clear thinking can be your worst enemy.

When we’re knee-deep in a scene, composing a score, writing a chapter, directing a shot, or painting a giant mural on the side of a building (like my good friend Yanoe), the process is rarely neat. It’s messy. It’s full of false starts, second guesses, wild tangents, and moments of doubt, that somehow lead to magic.

Important because the last thing we need in the heat of creativity is to be predictable or precise. We don’t need a strategy—we need flexibility. We don’t need clarity—we need curiosity. We don’t need structure—we need chaos. We don’t even need to be smart—we need to be innocent. That’s where our real brilliance lives.