Fast and Slow

[On Not Killing Creativity - I]

We’ve all been in the flow of good ideas—the ideas come faster than we can capture them, the insights blazing our direction quicker than we can take them all in. The neurons are firing. The heart rate is up. The vision of the future coming into focus.

There’s a difference between mania and creativity, though they can often be confused.

Both are a well of ideas.
Both can mark times of immense productivity.
Both are important for breakthroughs and insights.

The difference is that the creative flow thrives on slowing down. It’s the result of diving into deeper waters, digging in deeper soil. The manic flow thrives in the fast lane, fulfilled by speed, which is a substitute for intelligibility and substance.

Another way to say it: true creativity speeds up when we slow down. Find times of quiet, reflection, introspection, and meditation. Your creativity will bloom.