The Art of Creative Thinking

“Do you feel inadequate, that you’re not as talented as others? Good. Feeling inadequate is a driving force to do better. The self-satisfied are not the ones producing great things. They’re sitting back feeling smug and conceited.”

The Art of Creative Thinking by Rod JudkinsThis is the introduction to one of the chapters of Rod Judkins The Art of Creative Thinking, a wonderful book that seeks to inspire you to think more confidently and creatively.

If you grew up in the 70s and 80s, you’ll be aware of the famous ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books, which took you on a different path at the end of each chapter.

Well, Rod Judkins seeks to do the same with The Art of Creative Thinking, encouraging you to ignore linear reading and dip in and dip out. For example, at the end of the aforementioned chapter, you are given this:

More? If you liked doubt, you’ll love ignorance on p.129
Less? If you’ve had enough of self-doubt for now, try p.77″

Embrace ignorance

The main aim of the book is to confound your existing thoughts and smash prejudices, thus opening up your brain to new ways of thinking and coming up with new ideas. Continue reading “The Art of Creative Thinking”

William Golding’s eloquent plea for world peace

On the occasion of accepting his Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983, William Golding took the opportunity to call for common sense and peace.

I have been in many countries and I have found there people examining their own love of life, sense of peril, their own common sense. The one thing they cannot understand is why that same love of life, sense of peril and above all common sense, is not invariably shared among their leaders and rulers.

Then let me use what I suppose is my last minute of worldwide attention to speak not as one of a nation but as one of mankind. I use it to reach all men and women of power. Go back. Step back now. Agreement between you does not need cleverness, elaboration, manoeuvres. It needs common sense, and above all, a daring generosity. Give, give, give!

It would succeed because it would meet with worldwide relief, acclaim and rejoicing: and unborn generations will bless your name.

Beautifully put.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn on art and literature

During his acceptance speech for his Nobel Prize for Literature, author of One Day in The Life of Ivan Denisovich and Cancer Ward said:

The only substitute for an experience we ourselves have never lived through is art, literature. They possess a wonderful ability: beyond distinctions of language, custom, social structure, they can convey the life experience of one whole nation to another… Literature conveys irrefutable condensed experience… from generation to generation. Thus it becomes the living memory of the nation.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, 1970