Is creativity something you're born with or does it get taken from you? with Fredrik Haren (#346)

Is creativity something you're born with or does it get taken from you? with Fredrik Haren (#346)

June 1, 2026 · 52 min · Season 3 · Episode 346

About this episode

Steve and Ben discuss the nature of creativity with Fredrik Haren, exploring its origins and the misconceptions surrounding it.

In this episode, Steve and Ben sit down with Fredrik Haren - the Creativity Explorer - for a conversation that's been months in the making. It's a wide-ranging, thought-provoking dive into what creativity really is, where it comes from, and why our assumptions about it might be completely wrong.Fredrik Haren has spent 25 years studying human creativity across the globe, visiting 15 to 35 countries a year, from North Korea to Silicon Valley, interviewing thousands of people across cultures, industries, and disciplines. He's the author of The Idea Book (250,000+ copies sold) and The World of Creativity, and defines himself not as an expert, but as an explorer. In this episode we cover: - Why Fredrik says schools don't kill creativity, parents do (and what that actually means)- The Icelandic word for "curious" that will change how you think about learning- What North Korea taught Fredrik about collective creativity and why "one + one = big one"- The hidden etymology of curiosity, creativity, and education and why words matter- The Montessori mindset shift that every teacher and parent needs to hear- Why ego is the enemy of your best ideas and how divine ideas…

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