Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/X_zhPu3xCd4

In this episode of The Science of Creativity, Keith Sawyer speaks with psychologist and artist Aaron Kozbelt about what really drives creative achievement. Challenging the idea that creativity starts with a brilliant idea, Kozbelt argues that innovation often emerges from restructuring the creative process itself. Drawing on research in visual art and music, he explores how artists develop over time, why some creators peak early while others improve across decades, and how training—especially in drawing—changes perception. The conversation also examines whether originality is overrated and why patience, iteration, and engagement with tradition may matter more than radical novelty.

Key Takeaways

• Creativity is less about isolated ideas and more about reshaping process.

• Artists follow different developmental trajectories—some peak early, others gradually.

• Drawing training enhances perceptual flexibility and attentional control.

• Enduring creative work often builds deeply on tradition rather than chasing novelty.

• Time and distance are powerful tools for evaluating creative work.

About Dr. Aaron Kozbelt

Dr. Aaron Kozbelt is a Professor of psychology at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. His research program, focusing on creativity and cognition in the arts, derives largely from his outside interests. In addition to his training in psychology, he has spent more than 20 years as a practicing visual artist, and his initial research forays grew directly out of his experiences as an artist. Kozbelt has also incorporated his long-standing interest in classical music into a line of archival research examining patterns of creativity over the lifespan of classical composers. More recently, he has started research on creative cognition, humor production and sexual selection, and metacognition and evaluation in creative problem solving.

For more information

Dr. Aaron Kozbelt's web site

Music by license from SoundStripe:

• "Uptown Lovers Instrumental" by AFTERNOONZ
• "Miss Missy" by AFTERNOONZ
• "What's the Big Deal" by Ryan Saranich

Copyright (c) 2026 Keith Sawyer

Luck seems random and unpredictable, but Tina Seelig's message is that luck is something you can control and improve. And when you improve your luck, it will increase your creative potential. In this episode, we talk about Seelig's new book, What I Wish I Knew About Luck, and the mindsets and daily practices associated with luck and creativity.

Winning the lottery is pure chance, but that's not the kind of luck we're talking about. This episode doesn't tell you how to pick the winning number. Seelig's book is about how to live a life where luck consistently comes to you. We've often hear the cliche, "luck is when preparation meets opportunity." But what does it mean to prepare for luck? That's where Seelig's book comes in. She goes beyond the cliches to give you actionable advice.

Takeaways

• Luck is not just chance; it can be cultivated.
• Building relationships is key to creating opportunities.
• Creativity and problem-solving are essential for luck.
• Mindset and resilience play a significant role in luck.
• Engaging with the world increases your chances of luck.
• Luck is a long-term game; it requires patience.

For additional information

Tina's web site

Tina's book: What I Wish I Knew About Luck

Music by license from SoundStripe:

• "Uptown Lovers Instrumental" by AFTERNOONZ
• "Miss Missy" by AFTERNOONZ
• "What's the Big Deal" by Ryan Saranich

Copyright (c) 2026 Keith Sawyer

How can you succeed creatively in an age of generative artificial intelligence? In this episode of The Science of Creativity, Keith Sawyer speaks with creativity keynote speaker and author James Taylor about his new book SuperCreativity. His guiding metaphor is the music concert. Sitting in the audience, we naturally focus on the stars playing on stage. Taylor played a critical role that remained invisible to the audience. He working backstage, managing internationally successful artists. Along with teams of roadies, lighting experts, and sound engineers, he helped keep things running backstage at venues like the Royal Albert Hall. That experience shaped a central insight of his book: creativity is rarely the product of a lone genius. Instead, it emerges from collaboration and group dynamics, whether in jazz ensembles or business teams, or live concert tours.

The conversation ranges widely, touching on creative pairs, improvisation, flow, wellbeing, sustainability, and human-AI collaboration. Taylor is bullish on AI and creativity. He argues that AI should be viewed as a creative collaborator. He provides some suggestions about how to use AI to increase your creative potential, such as identifying your cognitive blind spots and helping you see your own work in different ways.

Key Takeaways

• Creativity happens backstage. Much of the creativity we see, consume, and love, is dependent on invisible collaborators. People like editors, coaches, producers, and managers. Creativity is a social system, not a solo act.
• Creative pairs matter more than lone geniuses. From musicians and editors to CEOs and CFOs, sustained creative excellence often emerges from trusted partnerships where ideas are challenged, refined, and strengthened.
• Psychological safety fuels innovation. The best creative teams encourage dissent, questioning, and constructive pushback—not polite agreement or deference to authority.
• Constraints don't limit creativity—they enable it. Whether in jazz improvisation or organizational innovation, well-designed constraints create the structure that allows originality to flourish.
• Creative flow requires protected time. Deep creative work can't happen in 15-minute calendar fragments. Leaders and individuals need to intentionally carve out longer blocks of "maker time" to enter flow states.
• Creativity and wellbeing are deeply connected. Engaging in creative activities enhances mental health and personal growth.
• AI works best as a creative collaborator, not a creator. Don't ask AI to do the creative work for you. You're still the creative agent, but use AI as a thoughtful peer. Use it to come up with new questions, to offer alternative viewpoints, and to help get you out of cognitive ruts. Humans still rule at taste, judgment, and imagination.

For further information:

James Taylor's web site: https://www.jamestaylor.me/

SuperCreativity book web site: https://www.jamestaylor.me/supercreativity/

Music by license from SoundStripe:

• "Uptown Lovers Instrumental" by AFTERNOONZ
• "Miss Missy" by AFTERNOONZ
• "What's the Big Deal" by Ryan Saranich

Copyright (c) 2026 Keith Sawyer