Thought Series: Creativity is about combinations

INNOVATION & CREATIVITY

Thought Series provides actionable ideas and anchors for reflection on your life or your work.

FREDRIK HÄRÉN, AUTHOR OF THE IDEA BOOK HAS A VERY ELEGANT EXPRESSION FOR IDEAS. HE SAYS, “IDEAS ARE WHEN A PERSON TAKES KNOWLEDGE AND COMBINES IT IN A NEW WAY.” IN FACT, THERE ARE NO NEW IDEAS. NOT REALLY. ALL IDEAS ARE NEW COMBINATIONS OF ALREADY EXISTING THINGS.

You don’t have a climb a mountain and wait for an idea no one has ever thought about. When you learn about something new, you combine them into something new. The newness is your uniqueness. It is the sum of your values, beliefs, ideals, motivations and traditions that guide your ability to learn and even your identity.

Angry birds. Genius.

What ideas are you playing with?