The Common Experience book, Runaway Species, by David Eagleman, neuroscientist and writer, and Anthony Brandt, a composer, details how essential human creativity is in order to promote innovation and individuality. Both the minds of a neuroscientist, an expert on the workings of the brain, and a composer, someone who requires the utmost amount of creativity in order to compose music, coming together has provided a book full of instances and explanations of why creativity is so important. They show how to use creativity in order to succeed in our daily lives, careers, and education.
The quote by Thomas Edison, “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: you haven’t,” is a motivating reminder that there is always more to strive for rather than just settling at the first possible moment. The proper use of creativity is a way to reach more possibilities in certain situations that may seem impossible or troublingly difficult. The book has defined, through different kind of techniques, how to prosper in different aspects of our lives through creativity even when the going gets rough.
For me, personally, the quote shows me to never give up even if I feel like there is no way around or if there is no light at the end of the tunnel. So far, college has already put me into difficult and stressful situations and I have only been here for three months. Although, I consistently remind myself that everyday is a new day and whatever struggle I am going through at that moment will likely be irrelevant in a year’s time as long as I am determined enough to get through it and solve whatever the issue may be. Currently, thinking about next year of college and having to live off-campus and search for an apartment is stressful. Having no current source of income and my parents not being able to help me pay has found me disparaged at times, thinking that I will not be accepted to an apartment as I do not have a job. The quote, though, shows me that I can not allow this to put me down and there are other ways to get through this stressful situation.
For my education, this shows me to open my mind to all possibilities in order to strive in my schooling and achieve the fullest experience. College is the time to learn more about the world, your passions and more about who you are as an individual. Stepping out of my boundaries and thinking of creative ways to strive for a worthwhile and prosperous education is essential. The book has shown me what is possible through pure effort and creativity, even if I may feel hopeless at times.
Creativity is essential is every career field in order to be the most successful you can be. Innovative thinking is a highly important skill and can make any employer think highly of you as it may not be a common trait. Reading about what creativity has led to in many instances makes me want to push myself out of my normal boundaries when it comes to creativity for whatever career I end up in one day. I have never really considered myself to be an innovative person or thinker but reading about what can be achieved through it makes me want to adopt this skill.
