How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery

✍️ Kevin Ashton

Creation is not magic and is the result of hard work and a series of incremental steps. More important, it is not exclusive to a few people. By using stories (and less known facts) from inventors and their creations, Kevin Ashton lays out his case pretty convincingly.

In one part of the book, the author writes about how overrated brainstorming is and closes with this very nice quote “Having ideas is not the same thing as being creative. Creation is execution, not inspiration. Many people have ideas; few take the steps to make the thing they imagine.” He makes the case that building up an idea is a process that is best performed alone or in very small teams.

The author also points out that novelty are not always well received and persistence is very important in this regard. Schools and organizations sometimes stifle creation despite nice words and beautifully written mission statements.

The book has a motivational tone and offers some good tips for personal development.

P.S.: The story about the Coca-Cola can is fascinating.