Unlock Your Lost Creativity: NASA Study on the Decline of Creativity in Adults

NASA researchers found 98% of 5-year-olds are creative geniuses.

But only 2% of adults are.

Here’s the study + how to unlock your lost creativity: pic.twitter.com/djnkNmM7dg

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

In 1968, NASA had Dr. George Land do a longitudinal study on creativity.

He tested the creativity of people at 5 years old and then at later milestones:

• 10
• 15
• 31

The 5-year-olds absolutely crushed.

The adults... not so much. pic.twitter.com/KsRE29H5FK

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

The results raise lots of questions:

• Why does creativity decline?
• What role does our school system play?
• How can you keep your creativity as you age?

Land asked those same questions.

He has a theory on how to keep (or even re-capture) your creativity:

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

There are two kinds of thinking:

1. Divergent

Imagining new possibilities and ideas.

2. Convergent

For evaluating and decision-making.

School rewards convergent and punishes divergent. pic.twitter.com/cfY7JR3WC3

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

Land says:

“When we look inside the brain we find neurons are fighting each other and actually diminishing the power of the brain because we’re constantly judging, criticizing, and censoring.”

Convergent overrides divergent.

Creativity gets diminished.

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

We’re born with the potential for creative genius.

But by the time you’re an adult, that’s been beaten out of 98% of us.

So, can we re-wire our non-creative adult brains?

Yup. But it takes some work.

An exercise Land recommends:

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

Come up with 25+ ideas to do anything.

Let's say you want to write an article.

Brainstorm your first 25 headline ideas.

But with one catch – don't filter any.

Especially the ones your brain thinks are bad.

Pure stream of consciousness.

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

What’s the lesson?

School teaches perfection.

You need a 90%+ for an A.

But to be creative, you have to let yourself have bad ideas.

Nobody has a 90%+ hit rate.

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

My takeaway:

Less criticism of your own ideas, more curiosity.

If you enjoyed this, follow me @nathanbaugh27.

I talk about storytelling, writing, and creativity.

Here’s another one you might like: https://t.co/mzKrnQUKCD

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023

I’m reminded of a great Charlie Munger quote:

“A teacher asks a class a question:

There are 10 sheep in a pen. One jumps out, how many are left? Everyone but one boy says 9 are left. That one boy says none are left.

The teacher says “you don’t understand arithmetic.”

The boy…

— Nathan Baugh (@nathanbaugh27) June 22, 2023