Creativity by John Cleese

A short and cheerful guide.

John Cleese is the epitome of creativity. He is a British comedian, actor, writer, and producer, best known for his ole in the British sitcom Fawlty Towers, where he portrayed the bumbling hotel owner Basil Fawlty.

Back in 1969, co-founded Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which became a hugely influential and beloved sketch comedy show.

Recently he wrote a brilliant book Creativity — A Short And Cheerful Guide. I have read it a few times. Here are my very detailed notes from the book.

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Most people, when they think of creativity, associate it with the arts. They think of writing, music, painting, theater, film, dance, and sculpture.

But creativity isn’t limited to the arts. It can flourish in any area of life — whether in science, business, or even sports.

By creativity, I simply mean new ways of thinking about things. — John Cleese, Creativity

You are being creative whenever you discover a better way of doing something than what’s been done before.

Another common myth about creativity is the belief that it’s an innate talent, something you have to be born with and cannot learn.

According to John Cleese, that’s not true. Creativity can, in fact, be taught. “Or more accurately,” he explains, “you can teach people how to create circumstances in which they will become creative.”

Interestingly, John Cleese wasn’t a particularly creative child. Growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, creativity wasn’t something people talked about or explored like they do today. At school, he studied math and science — fields that, at first glance, seem to leave little room for creativity. “You have to learn an awful lot of science before you can even begin to think about taking a creative approach to it,” he reflects.

Cleese went to Cambridge to study Law. Not exactly a field brimming with creativity either, unlike today, when some lawyers creatively bend the law in their clients’ favor (that pun is mine!).

However, while at Cambridge, Cleese connected with a group called Footlights, a theater society that put on small shows, including sketches, monologues, and musical performances.

John was eager to join them, but membership required writing and performing something original. He took the challenge, writing a few sketches and performing them at their monthly meetings. His sketches made people laugh.

“It was while writing those sketches — the first imaginative thing I’d ever consciously done — that I realized I could be creative.”

Role of unconscious mind in creativity

John Cleese began to notice something interesting about his creative process. He would often work on a sketch in the evening, only to get stuck. Despite his efforts to push through by staying up late, eventually, he would give up and go to bed.

“And in the morning, I’d wake up, make myself a cup of coffee, drift over to my desk, and almost immediately, the solution to the problem I’d been wrestling with the previous evening… became quite obvious to me!” he recalls.

It felt like a gift — a reward for all the effort he had put into solving the puzzle the night before.

This marked the beginning of Cleese tapping into his creativity. He realized that putting in the work before bed often led to creative ideas emerging overnight.

In one instance, he wrote a sketch, misplaced it, and had to recreate it from memory. Later, he found the original and, out of curiosity, compared the two versions. To his surprise, the recreated version was better.

Cleese began to realize that his unconscious mind was working behind the scenes, solving problems and refining ideas without his conscious awareness.

The Language of the Unconscious

As Cleese continued to observe his unconscious mind at work, he grew more fascinated. Our unconscious is astonishingly powerful, enabling us to perform many of life’s tasks without focused attention.

But, that doesn’t mean the unconscious mind behaves in an entirely predictable or straightforward way.

You can’t simply ask your unconscious a question and expect a direct, verbal response. The unconscious communicates in its own language — the language of imagery, emotions, and subtle nudges.

“The language of the unconscious is not verbal,” Cleese explains. “It’s like the language of dreams. It shows you images, gives you feelings, and nudges you in certain directions without you immediately knowing what it’s trying to tell you.”

Role of Play in Creativity

In the early 1960s, psychologist Donald MacKinnon conducted an experiment at Berkeley. He asked a group of highly creative architects to describe what they did from the moment they woke up until they went to bed. He then posed the same question to a group of architects who were considered less creative.

MacKinnon discovered that there were only two significant differences between the two groups.

First, the creative architects knew how to play.

Second, they delayed making decisions for as long as they were allowed.

When MacKinnon referred to ‘play,’ he meant the ability to become enjoyably absorbed in a problem — not just to solve it quickly and move on, but to approach it with genuine curiosity and exploration, much like a child at play. He described this mindset as ‘childlike.’

Picture small children playing: they are so immersed in what they’re doing that they lose track of time and are not distracted. They are simply exploring, without knowing where they’re headed or caring about the outcome.

Children at play are spontaneous and unafraid of making mistakes. They don’t follow rules, and it would be silly to tell them, “No, you’re doing it wrong.” Since their play has no specific goal, they feel completely free from anxiety, likely because adults are watching over the real-world consequences for them.

In contrast, most adults struggle to be playful, burdened by the responsibilities of adulthood. However, creative adults have retained their ability to play.

Many people are surprised to learn that part of this playfulness involves delaying decisions for as long as possible. Doesn’t this make creative architects indecisive? Isn’t that impractical and unrealistic?

Not at all!

It simply means that they are comfortable with the vague sense of discomfort we all feel when an important decision remains unresolved. They understand that an answer will eventually emerge.

Creative people are better at tolerating the uncertainty that comes with leaving something unresolved, trusting that the solution will present itself in time.

Interruptions

The greatest enemy of creativity is interruption. It disrupts your train of thought and pulls your mind away from what you want to focus on. Research shows that after an interruption, it can take eight minutes to return to your previous state of mind, and up to twenty minutes to regain a deep level of focus.

To protect your creativity, create physical boundaries to prevent others from interrupting you. Additionally, establish time boundaries by setting aside specific periods during which these physical boundaries are preserved.

Mistakes

When you’re being creative, mistakes don’t exist. In the creative process, every misstep is simply part of the journey.

Meditation

Once you begin to push aside distracting thoughts (John Cleese does this by writing them down), you’ll find that, much like in meditation, the longer you sit and focus, the more your mind slows, calms, and settles. When this happens, you can direct your attention toward the problem you’ve chosen to work on.

Clarity

Creativity often begins in a state of confusion. Our rational mind craves clarity, even worships it, but during the creative process, clarity is often elusive. At the start of the process, things will inevitably feel unclear — you’re exploring new territory, encountering unfamiliar ideas. This is where the so-called “Tortoise Mind” works best, allowing new thoughts to emerge in a slow, gentle atmosphere of uncertainty.

It’s crucial not to rush. Let your ideas gradually become clearer over time.

New Ideas

When you have a new idea, avoid criticizing it too soon. Fresh, ‘fuzzy’ ideas need time to develop before they are scrutinized by your logical brain. These ideas are like delicate seedlings — they can easily be crushed before they have a chance to grow stronger.

Looking for inspiration

“When you start something creative for the first time, you have no idea what you’re doing! Whether you’re writing, painting, or composing a song, you need to begin with an idea. As a beginner, it’s unlikely your first idea will be brilliant. So, ‘borrow’ an idea from someone you admire — something that resonates with you. As you work on it, you’ll make it your own through exploration and play. This is learning, not stealing. It’s called ‘being influenced by.’”

Of course, this doesn’t mean copying someone’s work exactly. That would be stealing, and it defeats the purpose of creating something new. While copying can teach technique, this is about creativity, not forgery.

Keeping going

In fields like science, architecture, or medicine, creativity requires years of education before you’re ready to think in ways your colleagues haven’t. However, in the arts, some successful novelists never quite match the originality of their first work. This is because beginners often bring a fresh perspective that can fade over time. Picasso once said he drew better at age ten than he ever did later in life. Similarly, Edvard Munch’s later paintings never recaptured the intensity of his earliest works.

The Buddhists have a phrase for this — “Beginner’s Mind” — which expresses how experience can be more vivid when it’s not dulled by familiarity. Playfulness keeps this beginner’s mindset alive, helping you stay “fresh.”

Coping with Setbacks

When striving for originality, you’ll have days where ideas flow freely and others where they don’t. Anthropologist Gregory Bateson once said, “You can’t have a new idea until you’ve gotten rid of an old one.”

This insight helps you see fallow periods as part of the creative process. When the ideas aren’t coming, don’t beat yourself up or consider switching careers. Instead, allow yourself to play, trusting that your unconscious mind is working in the background. Discouragement is a waste of time.

Get Your Panic in Early

Start with the basics. For instance, ask yourself: Who am I writing for? Then, consider whether your audience will be receptive or resistant to your message. If resistance is likely, you’ll need to persuade them, not just inform.

Next, ask yourself: What am I really trying to say? What’s the point of this piece? Explore different approaches, gather facts, research, and quotes to support your ideas.

And remember the famous apology: “Sorry this letter is so long; I didn’t have time to write a shorter one.” Once your first draft is done:

• Cut anything that isn’t relevant (there will be more than you think).

• Avoid repeating yourself unless it’s essential.

Your thoughts follow your mood

Our thoughts are deeply influenced by our mood. When we’re depressed, optimism feels out of reach. When we’re happy, it’s hard to take gloomy thoughts seriously. Anger makes us vengeful, while anxiety leads to worry. Feeling creative isn’t exactly an emotion, but it is a state of mind. If you’re distracted or preoccupied, it’s unlikely you’ll feel creative.

The Dangers of Over-Confidence

As a general rule, when people become absolutely certain they know what they’re doing, their creativity declines. They stop learning and rely on old patterns, which hinders growth. Creativity thrives on curiosity and the willingness to question what you think you know.

Kill Your Darlings

Any good work of art will evolve during its creation. A writer might have a brilliant idea at the start of a project — their “darling” — but as the work progresses, that idea may no longer fit. A good writer will let go of it. A less experienced writer may cling to it, preventing the story from transforming into its best version.

Seeking a Second Opinion

When seeking feedback, experienced writers should ask four key questions:

1. Where were you bored?

2. Where were you confused?

3. Where did things feel unbelievable?

4. Were there any parts that felt emotionally confusing?

Once you gather these insights, determine how valid the issues are and fix them yourself. People may offer their own solutions, but unless they are also writers, smile, thank them, and move on. Writers know the nuances of the craft, so if they give advice, listen closely. Ultimately, you alone must decide which feedback to act on.

As for when to seek a second opinion, do so when you’ve reached a point where another person’s judgment will be helpful. Don’t wait until you think the piece is perfect, or you may waste time by asking for feedback too late in the process.

Creativity — A Short And Cheerful Guide is a quick yet captivating read. Filled with John Cleese’s unique insights and signature humor, it’s a must-read for every creative soul. I highly recommend reading it — not just once, but multiple times.

Here’s an interesting and informative video by John Cleese. At the end of the day, make yourself a cup of tea and spend some time with him — you’ll sleep well afterward.

P.S.: This post contains affiliate links.

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Each week, I share a book I’m reading. I know you’re an avid reader too. Have you been reading something that you want to recommend. Please share it in the comments section so that I can put it on my reading list.

As always, thanks for reading.

See you next week.