“Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” – Erich Fromm
It’s only natural that human beings like to rely on certainties. Many people like having an understood order about the things around them. But, as German philosopher and psycho-analyst Eric Fromm once said, “Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.” This means that to be truly creative, you have to be prepared to see your assumptions about things. These include things you were certain were true that could well be proven wrong.
Some people are content with simply being certain about particular things, even if they are actually untrue. This is why over the years so many works of creative genius have been challenged, sometimes with harsh resistance. To be truly creative, we have to push the boundaries of our own understanding of the world around us. While there’s likely to be resistance, this is actually a good thing. It means that we’re challenging so-called certainties.
Being creative can be a dangerous task. Some new ideas are more openly welcomed than others. But, openness to an idea can’t accurately measure if it’s going to be proven truly useful or not. The more resistance there is to something you’ve created, the more it challenges people’s understanding of whatever your work might be. New ideas are often considered dangerous, and that’s OK.
Be dangerous. Let go of what you think is certain. Don’t let anyone tell you that it certainly can’t work. Be creative and challenge not only your own assumptions, but everyone else’s, as well.
~ Amelia <3
