Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
~ Scott Adams
Meaning of the Quote:
Creativity and art are two concepts that have long been intertwined, but they often evoke different understandings. The quote, “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep,” attributed to the renowned artist Scott Adams, distills this distinction beautifully. It speaks to the freedom inherent in creative expression, as well as the discerning wisdom needed to shape raw ideas into something meaningful.
The Essence of Creativity: Embracing Imperfection
At the heart of creativity lies a willingness to experiment and explore new ideas, many of which may not work out. The phrase “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes” emphasizes that innovation cannot flourish without risk. Mistakes, in this context, are not seen as failures but as natural byproducts of the creative process.
When we think about creativity—whether it’s in writing, painting, music, design, or problem-solving—it often begins with a period of trial and error. The early stages of any creative endeavor may be filled with ideas that don’t work, solutions that fall short, or concepts that miss the mark. However, this is where the magic happens. Creativity, in its purest form, is about giving yourself the freedom to fail, knowing that those “mistakes” will eventually lead to breakthroughs.
Take, for example, the process of painting. An artist may start with an abstract concept or a rough sketch, only to find that some brushstrokes don’t work or the colors don’t blend as intended. In the world of creativity, these missteps are essential because they open up new possibilities—perhaps a color combination or a form that would not have been explored otherwise. By allowing mistakes, the artist opens themselves to the potential for serendipitous discoveries that could lead to something completely unexpected and original.
The Art of Discernment: Knowing Which Mistakes to Keep
While creativity is about freedom and exploration, art is about refinement and judgment. The second part of the quote, “Art is knowing which ones to keep,” introduces the critical role of discernment in the artistic process. In essence, it suggests that art is not merely about creating—it’s about curating and editing.
Once the creative process has unfolded, there comes a point where the artist must step back, assess the work, and decide which elements hold value and which should be discarded. This is where the distinction between creativity and art becomes most apparent. Creativity is unrestrained, while art is the selection and elevation of what resonates with the creator and, ideally, the viewer. It’s about shaping a vision and refining raw ideas until they reach a state of coherence, meaning, or beauty.
This process can be seen in various forms of artistic work. In writing, for instance, an author might draft several versions of a story, with many moments of clunky dialogue or unclear plot points. However, through revision, the writer selects the most compelling, powerful, and truthful moments, ultimately crafting a polished narrative. Similarly, in music, a composer might play around with different chords or melodies, but only those that best capture the emotion or story they want to convey make it into the final piece.
The ability to discern which “mistakes” are worth keeping is often what separates the creative individual from the artist. It requires a certain amount of self-awareness and emotional intelligence, as well as an understanding of the medium and the message being communicated.
Creativity and Art as Complementary Forces
The beauty of this quote lies in the interplay between creativity and art. Creativity is the catalyst—it provides the initial spark that pushes boundaries, challenges norms, and opens up possibilities. But art is the sculpting force—it takes the raw material of creative ideas and molds them into something purposeful, meaningful, and enduring.
In this sense, creativity and art are not separate entities but complementary forces. Creativity without discernment may lead to an endless flood of ideas that never come to fruition. Art without creativity may become stagnant, repetitive, or formulaic. However, when both forces work in harmony, the results can be extraordinary.
The Broader Implications
Though rooted in the world of art, this quote can also be applied to other fields—entrepreneurship, innovation, education, and even personal growth. The principle is universal: to achieve anything great, one must be willing to make mistakes. However, it’s equally important to be discerning about which of those mistakes can become stepping stones toward something remarkable.
In the world of business, for example, companies often foster a “fail fast, fail often” mentality, encouraging teams to experiment and test new ideas without fear of failure. But, as the quote implies, it’s not about the failure itself—it’s about learning which lessons from those failures to apply and which ones to leave behind.
Similarly, in personal development, growth comes through trial and error. We learn from our missteps, but wisdom comes when we recognize which of those lessons are truly transformative and which are simply bumps along the way.
Conclusion: The Power of Mistakes and Discernment
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep” is a powerful reminder that both failure and refinement are integral to the process of creating something meaningful. Creativity encourages freedom and exploration, while art encourages judgment and refinement. Together, they form the bedrock of innovation, expression, and personal growth.
In embracing mistakes as part of the creative journey and refining those mistakes with care and intention, we learn how to bring our ideas to life in ways that resonate deeply, whether we are making art, running a business, or simply living life.
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Scott Raymond Adams (born June 8, 1957) is the creator of the Dilbert comic strip, and the author of several nonfiction works of satire, commentary, and business. His Dilbert series came to national prominence through the downsizing period in 1990s America and was then distributed worldwide. Adams worked in various roles at big businesses before he became a full-time cartoonist in 1995. He writes in a satirical, often sarcastic way about the social and psychological landscape of white-collar workers in modern business corporations.
