46 Rules of Genius, The Quotes

“The cave you fear to enter, goes the ancient proverb, holds the treasure you seek.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“A genius is someone who can tolerate the discomfort of uncertainty while generating as many ideas as possible.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“There is no great genius without a mixture of madness. —Aristotle”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“Creativity is the discipline you use when you don’t know the answers, when you’re traveling to parts unknown. On this type of journey, missteps are actually steps. Every mistake brings you closer to the solution.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“The hallmark of innovation is surprise. No surprise, nothing new. Nothing new, no interest. No interest, no value. Therefore, creating surprise is a crucial step in creating value through innovation.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“The human mind loves either/or choices. We prefer a choice of A or B. Yes or no. Chicken or beef. Simple choices give us a feeling of control, while open-ended choices give us a feeling of unease. Therefore we’d rather choose between than among.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“Make a sketch, construct a model, or assemble a prototype. Then another. And another. With each attempt, you’ll reveal new possibilities for innovation. Your mind will talk to your hands, and your hands will talk to your mind. This dialogue is called generative thinking, and it happens only when you’re making something. It’s the active ingredient of design.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“Sift through threats for hidden possibilities. Every threat carries with it the potential for innovation. The problem of obesity contains the possibility of new kinds of nutrition. The problem of global pollution contains the possibility of new energy sources. The problem of high unemployment contains the possibility of new educational models. The list is endless, if you can learn to see what’s not there.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“Often the most resource-ful person is the one who has tried the most approaches, taken the most risks, failed the most times.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“It’s almost impossible to reconcile creativity with cleanliness. The sculptor gets metal dust all over his studio. The writer must wade through a clutter of notes, books, and crumpled drafts to get to her desk. The rock musician must weave through a tangle of cables, black boxes, guitar stands, and song notes to sit down and create.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity

“What you need beyond that is a facile imagination and the skills to apply it, driven by a passionate will toward a focused goal.”
― Marty Neumeier, The 46 Rules of Genius: An Innovator's Guide to Creativity