PN: Diverse environments lead to creativity

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Reference: R: Where good ideas come from by Steven Johnson p. 166-167, 172

Environments that consist of various and diverse parts lead to higher creativity. For example, people who have broad networks with diverse friends, ones with different backgrounds, jobs, and interests are significantly more creative throughout their lives than people with narrow networks who have been united by shared values and long-term familiarity (p.166).

Narrow networks limit your reach, so new concepts that could trigger your creativity enter rarely. They are like lone islands that stopped growing because they couldn't trade anymore with others.

On the other hand, broad networks provide an environment for creativity. Various ideas can easily enter and be combined in multiple ways.

That said, if you want to be creative, you must have a broad approach to life.

Your friend circles should consist of people with different backgrounds, interests, and hobbies.

You should advance various projects and cultivate different hobbies simultaneously.

You should consume disparate content. For example, read books on fiction, history, and art simultaneously.

This slow multitasking mode leads to information spillover. Whenever you focus on one thing, the rest of your initiatives linger in the margins of consciousness. The current object of focus can borrow ideas from the initiatives on the margins.

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