Practical Tools and Wise Quotes on All Matters Creative

11.2.1. Creative Tension: Incubation

How To Invent (Almost) Anything > 11. Stimulating Ideas > 11.2. Creating Tension > 11.2.1. Creative Tension: Incubation

< Prev Chapter | Next Chapter >

< Prev Page | Next Page >

Graham Wallas, in his 1926 book ‘The Art of Thought’ described four stages in creativity: preparation, incubation, illumination (the ‘Eureka’ or ‘aha’ experience) and verification. The incubation stage is singularly unexciting in execution. All you basically do is to immerse yourself in the problem and then forget about it, allowing the subconscious to go to work on the problem, in its own time and in its own way.

The great German author, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe explains it well:

“The worst is that the very hardest thinking will not bring thoughts. They must come like good children of God and cry, ‘Here we are.’ You expend effort and energy thinking hard. Then, after you have given up, they come sauntering in with their hands in their pockets. If the effort had not been made to open the door, however, who knows when they could have come.”
 

Parts in this section are:

• 11.2.1. Creative Tension: Incubation
• 11.2.2. Creative Tension: Goal-Setting
• 11.2.3. Creative Tension: Pre-inventive Forms
• 11.2.4. Creative Tension: Truth and Vision
• 11.2.5. Creative Tension: Wishing

Sections in this chapter are:

• 11.1. Challenging
• 11.2. Creating Tension

< Prev Chapter | Next Chapter >

< Prev Page | Next Page >