What if eliminating failure reduces the likelihood of a breakthrough? There’s lots of research that suggests that’s the case.

Charles Darwin wrote an astounding 15,000 letters to over 230 collaborators across more than 10 different scientific fields. He understood the value of sharing partially-formulated ideas.

Some of the most creative people I know — from Lin Manuel-Miranda to Whitney Burks — share a common, creative secret: “obscene, ostentatious deadlines.”

One of the most famous studies of creativity was conducted by a former spy-master. The insights he pioneered about productive, effective creativity never cease to surprise…

B.F. Skinner’s strict working habits reveal not only how he became such a prodigious writer, but also how he became such an inventive researcher: he made the most of his nights!

How do you increase the velocity of experimentation? According to Thomas Edison, “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

Innovators from Edison to Netflix teach us that while every innovator should know how to craft clever experiments, yet one clever experiment is hardly sufficient… you’ve got to get scrappy.

We tell students at Stanford to create portfolios of early stage directions for a simple reason: it increases the likelihood of success. Research shows that we’re unlikely to select our highest-potential idea.

A theme has emerged in my study of breakthrough thinkers: the role that parents play in shaping aspirations. Breakthrough parents plant bold dreams in their kids’ hearts!

Linus Pauling succinctly describes the essence of productive creativity: “The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” Sounds simple enough. But just how many is “lots”?

Entrepreneurial endeavors are fraught with risk. Rigorous, scientific experimentation is the best way to resolve the uncertainty.

In her legendary memoir on writing and life, Anne Lamott shares a simple but crucial tip for avoiding one of the worst feelings that can ever befall an individual in the midst of creative pursuit.

Plato, Newton, and Einstein all demonstrate that, when you’re on the brink of ushering in a new era, you’ve got to be willing to resist well-intentioned opposition.

Bon Jovi took an unconventional approach to deciding which tracks to include on their third album. We should all be glad they did.

When Bob Sutton told our class, “There is no such thing as a new idea…” I thought he was wrong. Turns out, I was.

We are all busy. The most effective innovators wield their calendar to enhance their practice, rather than be a victim of their schedule. Here’s how to structure your time differently.

The stars of Second City recite a profoundly moving mantra before heading onstage together. It illuminates the nature of collaborative creativity.

Very few modern leaders have given ideas — or the creative process that conceives them — the kind of respect that Steve Jobs did. Sir Jony Ive vividly describes that care.

Who doesn’t feel a little guilty taking a nap? But they’re a powerful means of tapping into the subconscious! Salvador Dalí’s “Slumber With A Key” relieves guilt, and the fear of wasted time.

When Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, it was nothing more than an absent-minded, off-handed comment during an after-hours diversion. Turns out, that’s how many insights are discovered.