How to Fly a Horse takes many of the myths that I believed about creativity or the creative process and methodically takes them apart. Any perceived blocks are revealed for the fallacies that they are.
It is one of those great non-fiction books that educates the reader while simultaneously encouraging her to improve herself.
From the creation of a South Park episode to Coca-Cola, Kevin Ashton covers all sorts of ways the average person can, does, and should contribute to mankind through her own, innate creativity.
My biggest take-aways from this are Ashton’s descriptions and appropriateness of creativity (or lack of) within organizations. He writes about humanity’s need for the new while simultaneously pushing against it.
Here’s a quote about organizations that could be applied to any work place: “Organizations are made of rituals- millions of small, moments-long transactions between individuals within groups- and it is these rituals that determine how much an organization creates.” pg 225
Be aware of these rituals and harness them to be more creative.
And, on humanity’s propensity to reject innovation, Ashton explains this is not unusual but is actually the normal response to expect when introducing new ideas into your work environment.
Don’t be discouraged; be prepared. Create anyway.
I liked that he encouraged creation while also illuminating the many pitfalls, both internal and external, that one may encounter along the creative path.
Folks who enjoy How to Fly a Horse may also like Leonardo’s Brain: Understanding da Vinci’s Creative Genius or any of Malcolm Gladwell’s books. If you’re looking for another book about how to be more productive or creative in the workplace, I suggest Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?.
I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads First Reads. FTC guidelines: check!
Thanks for reading.
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