Most people think creativity is about having more knowledge, better techniques, or finding the perfect method. And all of that helps, but the truth is, creativity is more about your mental state than your skills.

A creative mind isn’t one that just knows how to be creative—it’s one that feels free enough to play.

Creativity Comes from a Playful Mind, Not a Stressed One

Think about when you get your best ideas.

  • Is it when you’re forcing yourself to be creative?
  • Or does it happen randomly, when you’re relaxed—like in the shower, while walking, or just before falling asleep?

For most people, the best ideas don’t come from intense effort but from a calm, open mind.

That’s because stress, pressure, and self-doubt shrink creativity. They put your brain in survival mode, where the only goal is to solve immediate problems, not to explore new ideas.

On the other hand, playfulness, relaxation, and curiosity expand creativity. They put you in a state where ideas flow effortlessly.

Why Stress Kills Creativity

  • You become rigid and only see one solution.
  • Fear of failure stops you from experimenting.
  • You rush toward safe, conventional ideas instead of exploring.

Why Play Unlocks Creativity

  • You feel free to make mistakes, which leads to unexpected insights.
  • Your mind wanders, making strange and interesting connections.
  • You’re more curious, and curiosity leads to great ideas.

So instead of forcing creativity, the key is to cultivate a playful state of mind—one where ideas come naturally, without pressure.

How to Enter the Creative Mental State

If creativity thrives on calmness and openness, how do you train yourself to stay in that state more often?

The key is to recreate the mental state you experience in the shower—not literally, of course.

Since creativity is more of a feeling than a hard, repetitive, or mechanical skill, it can be difficult to describe or teach directly. However, the shower effect is a universal experience: most people feel relaxed enough to sing, daydream, and generate new ideas effortlessly while showering.

This makes it a great proxy for understanding how to reach that state of creativity intentionally. Instead of focusing on forcing ideas, the goal is to replicate the ease, playfulness, and mental clarity you naturally experience in moments of relaxation.

P.S. Also, don’t be afraid to play with ideas for example:

  • “What if luck itself became unlucky?”
  • “What if the truth was lost, and we were searching for the real ‘Truth’?”
  • “What if we made a game about remote work where all your co-workers were either controlled by real people or AI LLMs?”

Experimenting with unusual perspectives like these can open doors to unexpected and innovative ideas.