Creative people demonstrate skills such as perseverance, impulsiveness, and risk-taking that set them apart from ordinary people. Surprisingly, procrastination contributes to the creative process and works best when conducted to a medium degree rather than chronically waiting till the deadline. Medium procrastination is an effective tool for boosting creativity and should be utilized by creative thinkers globally to create innovative ideas regarding societal problems.
As a result of the research collected by Adam Grant’s students, it is evident that procrastination might be a virtue for creativity. However, timing the process to align with the goals and deadlines when fulfilling a project is a precarious task. Based on past experiences, I am a chronic procrastinator, akin to a precrastinator in that creativity levels are low in both groups. Whereas I believe waiting might influence the surge of new and innovative ideas, inactivity often overpowers creativity, and ultimately, I fail to accomplish my goals. I believe my best work is carried out in the early stages of assignation rather than by waiting for time to pass. The optimum time for people to execute an objective is when they are fresh and active.
The distinction between self-doubt and idea-doubt has taught me to re-align my thinking and doubt the creative process rather than myself. Self-doubt, as described by Grant, cripples one’s ability to function. In contrast, idea-doubt motivates the thinker to come up with new ways to address an existing problem (Grant 9:15). Idea-doubt produces positive results and is energizing, which inevitably leads to success. Grant also compared users of Google Chrome and Firefox to Safari and Internet Explorer users and found that those who accepted default browsers such as Internet Explorer showed little creativity compared to their counterparts that questioned the status quo and felt the need for better alternatives (Grant 10:02). Original thinkers demonstrate resourcefulness and improve on ideas much like Chrome and Firefox users. Additionally, Grant introduces the concept of vuja de, which he describes as looking at something you’ve perceived before with a fresh lens (Grant 11:09). I can apply this concept and create new profit-generating solutions to work issues and minimize wastage in manufacturing operations.
In conclusion, original thinkers have the unique ability to wait till the optimum time to boost their creativity. Chronic procrastinators cannot carry out tasks, whereas medium procrastinators create innovative ideas by postponing them when they execute a task. Furthermore, creative people are not afraid of failing but instead not trying at all. Integrating idea-doubt into the creative process is essential to finding new ways to solve current societal problems.
Work Cited
Grant, Adam. “The Surprising Habits of Original Thinkers.” TED Talk, 2016.