The Surprising Science of Creativity (with Dr. George Newman)

Pushkin. Hey Happiness Lab listeners, welcome back to our new season on how to get unstuck in 2026. Over the past few episodes, we've been exploring different ways to get back on track in the new year, rethinking how we spend our energy, learning how to deal with unexpected changes. and getting clearer on our values and what we really want in life. I hope these conversations have already given you a few new tools for the year ahead.

But buckle up, because out of all the episodes we've had so far in this series, today's conversation has challenged my assumptions about getting unstuck the most. Today we're diving into the question of creativity. And more specifically, the stories we tell ourselves about how creative ideas are supposed to happen. Think inside the box. Use those constraints to your advantage.

Today's guest will argue that nearly everything we imagine about generating creative ideas is wrong. My name's George Newman. I'm a professor of organizational behavior at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. My book is called How Great Ideas happen, the hidden steps behind breakthrough success.

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