Seeing the Anomalies

Patterns are like poker hands. And just like Kenny Rogers says, you have to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.

Sure, patterns have value. If we train ourselves to be observers of life and ideas, we start to notice patterns in successful endeavors.

This could include observations about traits (such as, determination pays off) to strategy (when we create a brainstorming map first, the project goes smoother).

But the most important rule in learning from patterns, in my opinion, is knowing when to abandon them.

As the world changes, patterns can become defunct. So those who cling to industry standards, to “what has worked before,” can end up passengers on the slowest ship at sea.

Creativity, then, is the ability to not just see patterns but to see the anomalies that transcend them.

Take these guys who didn’t pay any attention to industry norms for book length. Their short format books proved the world would pay attention to far less words, as long as those words said something worthwhile.

Or Jamie Stuart who didn’t think the best film work should take a long time to complete. He perfected a technique for press-related shorts, resulting in this You Tube video that Roger Ebert said deserves to win an Academy Award.

Or, on a more bizarre note, Steve Catlin who didn’t think sitting behind a desk was the only way to make a living. So he started drawing hand-scrawled cats…for a living. (Really.)

And lastly, one of my favorites (tweeted earlier this week), Sid Ceaser who didn’t think every marriage proposal had to involve flowers and getting down one knee. He rented some muppets and let them do the proposing for him.

The most creative people, as it turns out, aren’t just good at recognizing patterns. They’re experts at seeing the anomalies.