Another lesson that stood out to me in The Art of Creative Thinking is the importance of keeping your mind open to new ideas.
Beginners often have something incredibly valuable – a fresh perspective.
When someone is just starting, they are not yet contained by rules, habits or expectations. They explore, experiment, and approach things with curiosity.
And that opens can lead to creativity.
Just because someone has studied a field for years and calls themselves an expert does not automatically mean they are always right.
I think there are two different kinds of experience.
The first kind comes from experimentation. These are people who have tried many different approaches, methods, and ideas. They understand why certain things work and why others fail because they have actually explored different possibilities.
The second kind of experience comes from repetition. Someone learns a specific way of doing something, is told it is correct method, and then repeats it for years without questioning it. Over time they gain “experience,” but it is experience build on doing the same thing over and over again.
Personally, I value the first type much more.
Real experience should come from experimenting, not just repeating.
That is why I encourage anyone who has just started photography, writing, or any creative activity to follow their instincts and explore what feels right to them.
When I take photos, I do not follow strict rules or textbooks. I am deeply inspired by cinematography, so I often try to capture images based on mood and feeling rather than technical formal.
During several events I attended, people would approach me while I was taking pictures and tell me what I was doing was wrong. They explained that they had learned the correct way in school, from experienced photographers, and that I should follow those methods.
But to me, photography is art. Writing is art.
And art requires experimentation.
The more you experiment, the more you discover.
Sometimes it will fail. But even failure teaches you something. Keeping your mind open has several benefits:
➡️ It makes the process more enjoyable.
➡️ You might discover a better way to do something.
➡️ Even when things don’t work out, you learn something new.
Instead of repeating the same thing endlessly, allow yourself to explore. Try different approaches. Let creativity guide you.
You never know what you might discover.