If we’re all born wildly imaginative, why do so few of us still believe it? And more importantly, why does it matter?
A few years ago, I stood on stage in front of 3,000 university students and asked a simple question: “How many of you consider yourselves creative?” Maybe a dozen hands went up. Same question to a room full of first graders? Every single hand went up.
If we’re all born wildly imaginative, why do so few of us still believe it? And more importantly, why does it matter?
Here’s the truth: Imagination and play aren’t just for kids. They’re fundamental to human creativity. The problem isn’t that we lost our creativity, but rather that we were taught to stop using it. To reclaim it, we have to re-learn how to play, how to be curious, and how to nurture ideas without judgment. That’s where the real breakthroughs happen.
And make no mistake: Breakthroughs are no longer a “nice to have.” Our world is changing fast. Gen Z is altering the rules of work. Climate change is reshaping our priorities. AI is rewriting everything. In this moment of compounded disruption, creativity isn’t a luxury, but survival. And the future? It belongs to those brave enough to ask,“What if?”
To explore how we lost our creative spark—and how to get it back—read the rest of this article or listen to the audio version over on fastcompany.com.
Photo Credit: Alexis Scholtz/peopleimages.com / Fast Company / Adobe Stock
