• Mindset

The Accidental Paradox: Creativity By Choice or Chance?

By Matt Gartland

Though they may seem to appear out of nowhere, brilliant ideas don’t really just burst into your world unannounced. They’re often simply a reshaping of raw materials already present within you.

The downside is that such insights don’t emerge instantly. It’s easy to lose perspective on this, especially when working in an organization or for clients who demand immediate gratifications and quick (and highly visible) wins.

So in a culture obsessed with immediate results, it can be tempting to chalk these “creative accidents” up to (1) fate, (2) a special gift of genius only accessible by a special few people. While some people do seem to have the innate ability to generate ideas consistently, the question remains: is it possible for anyone to increase the likelihood of experiencing creative ideas more consistently when needed?

Introducing the Accidental Paradox

The plot twist? Accidental ideas result from a deliberate lifestyle. Like the smart farmer, the smart creative plants healthy seeds (stimuli) into fertile soil (the mind) and then works the land (routine) relentlessly until the harvest. If the farmer has been thoughtful, focused, and hardworking then chances are good that he’ll have a mighty harvest. If not, the results are likely to be disappointing.

Therein lies the Accidental Paradox – the fate of the farmer is both controllable and not. She possesses the choice of working hard or slacking off. That initial choice is very much within her power. But once she heads off down a given path, the consequences of her choice are unavoidable.

The Accidental Paradox holds true for us, the creative professionals of the world, but in an accelerated form.

Our idea generation cycles don’t last seasons at a time. They iterate monthly, weekly, even daily. Thus, the ideas you may be capable of producing today are the result of your choices yesterday, or last week, or last month.

It’s impossible to cheat this cause-and-effect relationship. So, instead of trying to rewrite the laws of physics, commit to smarter creative behaviors today. If you do and remain persistent with them, then in time you’ll enjoy an abundant harvest of brilliant ideas.

Mastering the Accidental Paradox

Bryan Franklin is one of the world’s most successful executive coaches, which is to say he’s smart. One of the concepts Bryan teaches is the art of “holding paradox.” This is how leaders of any creative discipline produce breakthroughs, make their mark, command attention, and earn respect.

And it’s the holding of the Accidental Paradox that you must do in order to master it.

You must simultaneously believe both truths about creativity – that it’s beyond all conceivable control while utterly malleable to your free will. Situating yourself at this perhaps unlikely and somewhat awkward crossroads isn’t easy, I grant you. But it is necessary if you are to uncork the full measure of your creative potential.

All told, the Accidental Paradox is not to be feared. It’s simply a principle rooted squarely in the laws of nature. Master it and you master your ability to do brilliant work more consistently.

Have you ever experienced “accidental” brilliance that resulted from previous choices or activities? Do tell in the comments!

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Image credit: Kit Cowan

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