Achieve more, do more, create more with the power of creative courage Creative Courage challenges you to step outside of your comfort zone and truly make an impact. Set aside the same old routine and break the status quo-because you can only rise to new heights if you first smash the ceiling. Written by the former Executive Creative Director of Creations at Cirque du Soleil, this book shows you how to step up your game, flex your creativity, and make big things happen. Whether you work independently or as part of a team, whether you're self-employed or part of an organization, and even if you think creativity isn't a part of the work that you do-this book gives you the perspective, courage, and kick start you need to think differently about the things you do every day. Creative courage is more than a strategy, it's a way of life. It opens your mind-and the minds of those around you-to new approaches, new ideas, and new schools of thought that can revolutionize the way you work. This book invites you to experience the freedom and power at the intersection of courage and creativity so you can finally: Foster a more collaborative culture Bring depth and meaning to every project Turn challenge into opportunity Create work that matters The value of creative thinking extends far beyond the arts, but the work it allows you to produce has the power to touch like great art can. You gain the ability to make a more profound impact, and you inspire and motivate others to do the same; you become a catalyst for bigger, better things, driven by the enormous potential of the free-thinking mind. Creative Courage helps you break out of the box and start making things happen today.

There is a mythology around creativity a hazy system of beliefs developed to try to understand what many believe to be incomprehensible. Because of this mythology, many businesspeople view creativity and innovation as vague and inaccessible, assuming that creativity happens through a largely transcendent process of inspiration to which only a select few are granted access. Fortunately for all of us who need to be more creative or lead our organizations through a creativity process, this is simply not the case, and The Myths of Creativity shows how anyone can drop the faulty conventional wisdom of creativity, understand the actual research behind how the creative process works, and ultimately generate impressive creative results. Each chapter of The Myths of Creativity debunks one erroneous assumption about the creative process: Chapter 1: The Sacred Myth: Creativity is not a distant inspiration given to a select few, but comes from within Chapter 2: The Breed Myth: Creativity is not a trait that only certain individuals hold and pass along Chapter 3: The Eureka Myth: Creative insight is not the sudden spark romanticized by stories of Newtons Apple or Archimedes bathtub, but involves a slow hunch Chapter 4: The Originality Myth: Most creative ideas are not unique or original, but are usually new combinations of older ideas. Chapter 5: The Expert Myth: Highly trained experts in a particular domain are sometimes incapable of generating creative insight. Instead, outsiders can provide the fresh perspective needed to creatively solve complex problems. Chapter 6: The Incentive Myth: Traditional incentives like bonuses, awards or other carrots provide little influence on creativity Chapter 7: The Lone Creator Myth: Most innovation is the product of a group of individuals and not any one person. Chapter 8: The Brainstorming Myth: Creativity requires more than merely the rapid generation of ideas. Chapter 9: The Cohesive Myth: Cohesive cultures and feel good environments can hinder innovation. Chapter 10: The Constraints Myth: While the traditional view of creativity is out-of-the-box or no limits, constraints can actually help enhance creativity in individuals and teams. Chapter 11: The Mousetrap Myth: Creative ideas and innovations dont experience immediate celebration like the proverbial better mousetrap. Instead, they often experience backlash as a first reaction. Chapter 12: The Moral Myth: Enhancing creativity is not always good. The chapters are filled with