Seven Creative Insights I'd Share with My Younger Self

I've always found the question, "What advice would you give your younger self?" to be a fascinating one. It's a question that prompts introspection and reflection on the journey we've taken in life. Over my career, I've had the privilege of working alongside incredibly creative individuals and have learned valuable lessons about fostering creativity. If I could turn back the clock and offer some creative wisdom to my younger self, here are seven insights that I believe would have accelerated my creative journey. (And yes, maybe an eighth, like buying Apple stock, wouldn't hurt!)

• Cultivate Your Weirdness: Embrace your quirks, eccentricities, and unique interests. Your individuality is your superpower, and it can lead to unconventional and creative paths. Think about how a four-year-old dances freely without worrying about what others think. Channel that uninhibited spirit into your creative endeavors. Remember, sometimes feeling like a fool for a moment can lead to groundbreaking questions and actions. Just as Ben Varadi, one of the founders of Spin Master Entertainment, shared with me, his willingness to feel like a fool for a second with a question or action has been one of the secrets to his success, and now Spin Master is one of the top toy companies in the world!?
• Embrace Failure as Feedback: Shift your perspective on failure. Instead of fearing it, view it as feedback and a stepping stone toward success. Throughout my career, I've witnessed countless of my ideas being pitched, some successful, and others not. Each rejection was an opportunity to learn and improve. Embrace the feedback loop as a means to refine your creative process. It's how I’ve (always a team effort) created several hit toys, from the Fisher-Price Jumperoo to the Aerobie Football, Four Barbie Dream Campers, Connect 4 Spin, and Pictionary Air. But that greatest hit list also consists of thousands of ideas pitched that I thought were awesome but were rejected. Embrace the feedback and improve.
• Create a "Reverse Bucket List": Instead of fixating solely on future goals, keep a "reverse bucket list" of all the unique and remarkable experiences you've encountered on your journey. It's essential to recognize and be grateful for the remarkable moments and experiences you've had along the way. In my case, it includes unforgettable moments from speaking engagements worldwide from Sweden, Hong Kong, Beijing, Australia, Singapore, and so many more and the joy of attending numerous NY toy fairs. From attending Burning Man to the amazing Hatch Creative events.? All of these experiences, big and small, contribute to your creative journey. Make sure you note them and are grateful for them.
• Learn to Say No: Understand the power of saying no to commitments and activities that don't align with your goals or values. Prioritize your time and energy for endeavors that genuinely matter to you. I admit that I'm still working on this one, but I'd urge my younger self to become more adept at it. In the world of toy invention and design for play. It's easy to get pulled in many directions, but staying true to your creative vision is vital.
• Make Time for Play: Dedicate time to unstructured play and exploration. Engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation, such as art, music, or hobbies, can spark creativity and help you think outside the box. It's easy to become so focused on the end goal that you forget to enjoy the process. Don't forget to relish the journey—it's a paradox worth embracing. When I was in full toy invention mold, I was so focused on creating fantastic toy inventions that would be fun to play with that I missed some of the fun of the process. Don't make the same mistake—enjoy the journey.
• Seek Out Unconventional Mentors: Look for mentors and role models in unexpected places. Wisdom can come from diverse life experiences and perspectives. Don't limit your mentorship opportunities to your field of interest. In my case, taking unique electives and visiting professors during office hours would have opened doors to unanticipated mentors. I encourage my students at Stanford to take as many unique electives as they are interested in. What I would tell my younger self is to take those classes, but if you can't, here's a secret: go to the professor's office hours, say you wanted to take the class but couldn't, and ask a ton of questions about the content. You'll be surprised at how much you can learn and the new mentors you can make.?
• Cultivate a Creative Ritual to Keep You a Maker: Develop a unique creative ritual or routine that helps you get into a creative flow. Having a ritual can train your mind to transition into a creative state more easily. Whether you enjoy drawing, tinkering, or building, make sure you continue doing what makes you a maker. As you advance in your career, maintaining your maker spirit remains crucial. If you like to draw, then draw every day and make sure you stick to it. If you like to tinker, build, or make things, then make sure you continue to do it throughout your career. Being a maker can be making things physical or digital—they just have to be tangible. As you grow in your career path in leadership, make sure you keep your maker self active.

Offering advice to your younger self is an exercise in reflection and personal growth. I encourage you to create your own list of insights on creativity and share them in the comments or reach out to me directly. Remember, creativity is a lifelong journey, and every lesson learned along the way contributes to your unique creative evolution. Embrace your quirks, cherish your failures, and keep cultivating your creativity—it's what makes you, you.