The Experimenter’s Mindset
Curiosity about life in all of its aspects is the secret of great creative people.
- Leo Burnett
While working as a copywriter two things happened to Barry Davret that lit up his creativity and changed his thinking about his creative approach. First, he came across the ancient concept of "non-attachment", a state of detaching yourself from outcomes and desires. Second, he received the following advice from a mentor: "the most important skill to master is to learn how to generate your curiosity."
This was Davret's light bulb moment: when trying new things, cultivate a mindset of insatiable curiosity, but remain unattached to any particular outcome — the experimenter’s mindset.
For those looking to boost their own creative thinking, Davret gives suggestions on how to live a more experimental life, while reaping the benefits of being less fearful of the results. "Approach every day as a series of experiments," he suggests. "You'll find yourself more open to taking risks and free from the anxiety of the outcome."
What if you're just not curious? Like many things, the experimenter's mindset needs to be practiced. Infuse it into everything you do," Start small and develop it like any other exercise. "The key to cultivating it lies in strengthening your curiosity muscle." And embrace possibility, as possibility breeds curiosity. When we focus on what's possible, we can't help but get curious.
And when you're genuinely curious, your creativity will soar.