“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.”
Explore This Quote Further
Quote Analysis
Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc., once stated, "Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while." This quote highlights the idea that creativity is often about making connections and seeing patterns that may not be immediately apparent to others. Let's delve deeper into this insightful perspective on creativity.
The Power of Creativity
Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., believed that creativity was all about making connections between different ideas and concepts. He emphasized that creative individuals often feel guilty when asked how they come up with innovative solutions because the process feels effortless and natural to them. This quote highlights the importance of open-mindedness, curiosity, and the ability to see connections where others might not. In today's fast-paced world, where innovation is key to success, Jobs' words serve as a reminder of the power of creativity in problem-solving and driving progress.
Steve Jobs on Creativity
Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple Inc., believed that creativity is simply connecting ideas and concepts together. He expressed that creative individuals often feel as though they did not create anything new, but rather saw something that was already there. This quote emphasizes the idea that creativity is about making connections and seeing the possibilities that others may overlook.
Artistic Inspiration: Many artists and designers understand Jobs' sentiment that creativity is about connecting things. They often find inspiration in the world around them and use it to create unique and innovative pieces of art.
Innovative Problem-Solving: This concept can also apply to problem-solving in various fields. Engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs often use their creative thinking skills to connect different ideas and come up with inventive solutions to complex problems.
Collaborative Work: Jobs' quote also highlights the importance of collaboration in creativity. Working with others can help individuals see things from different perspectives and make connections that they may not have considered on their own.
Reflection Questions
Reflection is an important part of understanding creativity and innovation. Consider the following questions to help you explore your own creative process:
Can you think of a time when you made a creative connection between two seemingly unrelated ideas or concepts?
How do you typically approach problem-solving tasks? Do you tend to rely more on analytical thinking or intuitive leaps?
Reflect on a project or task where you felt particularly in the flow or "in the zone." What factors do you think contributed to that state of mind?
In what ways do you actively cultivate your creativity, whether through exposure to new experiences, varied perspectives, or different forms of inspiration?
Reflect on the quote by Steve Jobs. Do you agree that creativity is about making connections between ideas rather than coming up with completely new ones? How might this idea influence how you approach your own creative pursuits?
Similar quotes
“Creativity is just connecting things.”
“We’re always talking about following your passion. But we’re all part of the flow of history… you’ve got to put something back into the flow of history that’s going to help your community…People will say, this person didn’t just have a passion, he cared about making something that other people could benefit from.”
“I've read something that Bill Gates said about six months ago. He said, ‘I worked really, really hard in my 20s.’ And I know what he means, because I worked really, really hard in my 20s too. Literally, you know, 7 days a week, a lot of hours every day. And it actually is a wonderful thing to do, because you can get a lot done. But you can't do it forever, and you don't want to do it forever, and you have to come up with ways of figuring out what the most important things are and working with other people even more.”
“It places value on experience versus intellectual understanding. I saw a lot of people contemplating things but it didn't seem to lead to too many places. I got very interested in people who had discovered something more significant than an intellectual, abstract understanding.”
“Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
“There’s a temptation in our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat. That’s crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions. You run into someone, you ask what they’re doing, you say ‘wow,’ and soon you’re cooking up all sorts of ideas.”