Creativity is unpredictable. It arrives in flashes, disappears without warning, and refuses to be controlled. Some days, it feels like an unstoppable force, flowing effortlessly, turning ideas into tangible work. Other days, it’s nowhere to be found, slipping through your fingers the moment you try to grasp it. I’ve had brainstorm sessions where I rained buckets like Jordan in his prime, and other times I fell flat like a missed game-winning shot off the back rim.

Anyone who has ever made something—whether it’s a mural, a song, a business, or a beautifully crafted meal—knows this feeling. Creativity is exhilarating, but it can also drive you insane.

Elizabeth Gilbert, in her 2009 TED Talk Your Elusive Creative Genius, explores this idea with a perspective that resonates deeply. She challenges the modern notion that genius is something a person is rather than something that visits them. In ancient times, she explains, people believed that genius was external—a muse, a spirit, or a divine force that bestowed creativity upon humans, often unpredictably.

It’s a comforting idea. It means that when creativity strikes, we should honor it, and when it doesn’t, we shouldn’t blame ourselves. But in the real world, where deadlines exist and ideas must be captured before they evaporate, how do we work with this elusive force rather than be tormented by it?

The fleeting nature of ideas

There are moments when an idea hits like lightning—fully formed, vivid, undeniable. You feel it in your bones, and for a brief time, it’s as if the universe is conspiring to help you bring magic to life. You rush to write it down, sketch it out, or share it before it fades.

And then there are the ideas that “kinda”  arrive. The ones that hover just out of reach, teasing you with its brilliance but refusing to land. The ones you forget because you were too busy, distracted, or tired to capture them in time.

I’ve had countless ideas slip away this way. Some return later in another form, but many are lost forever, like whispers carried away by the wind. That’s the maddening part of creativity—it doesn’t wait. In my case, ideas tend to hit me while I’m driving—which is brutal. If I’m lucky enough to be on local roads, I end up pulling over at the most inconvenient spots just to jot them down.

The poet Ruth Stone, whom Gilbert references in her talk, described how she would feel poems barreling toward her across the landscape. If she was quick enough, she would catch them, writing furiously before they got away. If not, the poem would pass through her and move on to someone else.

I always loved that concept. Creativity is wild. It’s independent. It doesn’t belong to us.

When creativity feels like a curse

While creativity is often romanticized, the truth is that it can be mentally exhausting. The pressure to be consistently creative, to capture every great idea, to make something out of the chaos in your head—it can become overwhelming. The constant flood of random thoughts in my brain is enough to give someone a nosebleed.

History is filled with artists, writers, and thinkers who have struggled with this weight. The same creative force that fuels incredible work can also lead to self-doubt, burnout, and obsession. When you tie your self-worth to your ability to create, every dry spell or creative block feels like failure.

But what if we saw creativity not as something we own, but as something that moves through us? What if we stopped demanding that inspiration show up on schedule and instead focused on being open to it when it does?

That shift in thinking is what Gilbert suggests in her talk. If we separate ourselves from the pressure of having to be the sole source of genius, we can approach our work with less fear and more playfulness.

Creativity, chaos, and the birth of Mean Genius

This very idea is part of what inspired the name Mean Genius.

The word mean doesn’t just imply being calculated or intentional—it also refers to the act of bringing something into existence. And genius, in its older meaning, wasn’t about being an individual mastermind. It was about a spirit, a presence, an external force that shaped creative work (hence the flame inside the letter “G” in the logo).

When I started Mean Genius, I was already fascinated by the way ideas come and go, sometimes slipping away before they can be realized. The name reflects that tension—the push and pull between inspiration and execution, between the brilliance of an idea and the struggle to bring it into the world.

Some ideas are mean, demanding to be pursued no matter the cost. Others are gentle, appearing softly before vanishing. Both types shape what we create, whether we fully understand them or not.

Honoring creativity when it arrives

Since we can’t force inspiration to strike, the best we can do is prepare ourselves for when it does. That means creating systems, habits, and rituals that make it easier to capture ideas when they come.

Here are a few things that have helped me hold onto more ideas before they disappear:

• Write everything down. The moment an idea hits, document it. Use a notebook, a voice memo, or even a quick email to yourself. Assume you won’t remember it later.
• Give yourself space to think. Some of the best ideas don’t come when we’re actively working—they arrive when we’re walking, showering, driving, or doing something unrelated. Build time into your day to just let your mind wander.
• Trust that ideas will return. If something slips away, don’t panic. Some ideas need time to develop. If they’re meant for you, they’ll find their way back.
• Let go of perfectionism. Not every idea needs to be a masterpiece. Some ideas are stepping stones to better ones. Creativity thrives in experimentation, not pressure.

‍Creativity is not yours to keep

If there’s one lesson I take from Gilbert’s talk, it’s this: you do not own your creativity. It is not a personal possession. It is something you experience, engage with, and respond to.

That thought is both freeing and frustrating. It means that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, creativity won’t come. It also means that when it does, your job is to honor it, work with it, and let it move through you.

There will always be ideas that get away. That’s part of the process. But if you stay open, stay curious, and stay willing to chase them when they come, you’ll find that creativity is always somewhere nearby—waiting for the right moment to strike.

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