I think it makes sense. If you are a practical person, pair up with a creative person, your skills will complement each other.
Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
31–40 of 82 posts
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#32What you're looking for is something called "Lateral Thinking" [1]. Using one's prefrontal cortex "silences" their inner genius and prevents "Ah ha!" moments. This is why people get breakthrough ideas in the shower, going to the bathroom, or driving. The "step-by-step" executive planning part of the brain is not engaged in these moments.
John Cleese has given talks throughout the years about how to be creative, and they're very good. [2]
The Programmer's Stone is also a good source of information about this topic. Instead of "lateral thinking", the authors refer to "mapping" and "packing". Packing is when you're in "step-by-step" mode. When programmers refer to "being in the flow", they're probably referring to the state of mapping or lateral thinking. [3]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lateral_thinking
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#33Practicality is key to successful creativity, look at Elon Musk or Steve Jobs. Many have dreamed of going to mars but only a very practical person like Elon can make it happen.
Solving problems within actual constraints may be the greatest creativity of all.
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#34I used to be the opposite. For a good part of my first 10 years as a programmer, I used to always go for the wildest and coolest solution, architecture, language, etc. Coupled with me being a good salesman (able to sell to management) it continuously led to a huge amount of frustration and struggle.
Once I learned being practical first and creative only when needed, now I feel quite happy and productive. Seems like the satisfaction of my customers is much better than the tech itself.
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#35The creativity process comes from exploration and exploitation. The more experienced you get, the more you move towards exploitation and away from exploration. So you will need to revert back a bit.
Think like a child, or like someone who would not have much idea about your subject. Allow yourself to make wild guesses, allow yourself to make shortcuts and unexplained decisions, in your mind, wander aimlessly. Move from one potential outrageous solution to another, without judging. Try to have fun with it. Don't note anything down. You think something is bad? Doesn't matter. You think something is good? Doesn't matter. Keep exploring.
After you are tired of this, stop. Try to write down what you remember. Then sleep on it, without looking at what you wrote before, write down what you remember again. Now you can look at what you wrote in both times.
Say you find a solution that is completely outrageous. How can you adjust a part of it to make it a bit less outrageous? Divide it to chunks. There will be parts you understand and parts you don't. There will be parts that are wrong and parts that are not. Divide and conquer.
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#36As a personality trait? No. As a mode of thought? Yes. You can learn a new mode of thought. You have to be open, and not dismiss things early, which means allowing yourself to follow ideas which have obvious flaws or which totally impractical. It helps to have confidence that you'll use your practical, analytical, and more closed mode of thought later. But first you've gotta jump out of the local maxima and try to fi…
Very well put! I'll add that dismissing things early tends to act as a roadblock to further creative pathways. It's almost exactly why you don't shoot down ideas while brainstorming; it kills the environment of creativity the exercise is intended to foster.
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#37What you're looking for is something called "Lateral Thinking" [1]. Using one's prefrontal cortex "silences" their inner genius and prevents "Ah ha!" moments. This is why people get breakthrough ideas in the shower, going to the bathroom, or driving. The "step-by-step" executive planning part of the brain is not engaged in these moments. John Cleese has given talks throughout the years about how to be creative, and t…
Research Edward De Bono for much more information on lateral thinking, creativity, and thinking
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#38In my experience working with and having relationships with many practical/pragmatic/realist people, i would say yes - but...
Im too much of a dreamer/imaginary-driven, and i need these types to keep me focused.
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#39I don't think so. I have worked on problems where most of the team had their head in the clouds, dreaming up wild solutions, and then we end up going with a team member's solution who suggests something very easy, requiring almost no technical skill, that should have been obvious, but all of us missed.
Practical is good. What will actually kill your creativity is self-doubt. Stop doubting yourself and be happy with the way you are.
Re: Ask HN: Does being practical act as a hinderance to one’s imagination?
#40Most of my creativity comes from finding practical solutions to complex problems.
If something seems to complex or hard, I figure their must be an easier way to solve it.
A lot of it is stepping back and questioning the original problem you are trying to solve.