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Big Think 29 May 2026 30 here now

David Epstein: Discipline sets creativity free | Full Interview

Purchase @DavidEpsteinAuthor's latest book, Inside the Box: https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Box-Constraints-Make-Better/dp/B0FNDSKWMY

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This was fabulous and got me thinking about my job and how we can better define our problems/role and hence value.
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not even 2 seconds pass and i already bursted in laughter when he said epstein
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Felt this relate directly to my new role, constantly switching between screens feeling ‘busy’, but at the end of the day there was little to show for it. Going to try and implement this tomorrow. Thanks!
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@mulen-x8u From YouTube ↗ 21 Jun 2026 11
From a philosophical point of view, sometimes a problem implies a whole series of questions, and sometimes a single question implies the need to solve many problems.
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53:30 The fastest way to get someone to answer your question for you is to declare it with an incorrect answer
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Thank you! Great material
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He's saying to the gamer bros, stop doing the side quests all the time and finish the main storyline!
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@Clariviz From YouTube ↗ 21 Jun 2026 2
Discipline creates freedom
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@51:40 "Progress in science is often built on wrong theories that are later corrected. It is better to be wrong than to be vague."
-Freeman Dyson, 'The Scientist as Rebel'
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I loved this talk and his clear, simple presentation. Very useful and practical to the problems of modern life. Thank you!
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Enlightening! A good one, Big Think!
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Picked up on and interpreted ... stop multitasking, or trying, as so many do. It is counterproductive to half-ass many things that will need redoing. Pick one task, do it well, like it means something. Then move onto the next task. Skill and quality keeps it out of the landfill.
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@Jabolle From YouTube ↗ 21 Jun 2026 22
My design process always starts with a problem, then most of the effort is spent refining the problem and constraints until the solution naturally falls out.
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@ltwig476 From YouTube ↗ 21 Jun 2026 6
One of our greater instructors for graphic design taught us to write a statement before each project. Not a design statement of how we are attempting to solve. Rather a statement of what the problem was, what our client needed it to do. Then keep rereading that statement as the project progressed forward. This way we weren't as apt to get off track with some great element of design that caught a lot of attention, but was actually only noise interfering with the solution.
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I am a collage artist. The more materials I have to work with, the harder it is for me to come up with a piece. When I only have a few materials to choose from, my creativity clicks back in and ideas flow like water.
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@Avin-c1g8s From YouTube ↗ 21 Jun 2026 77
Never thought I'd say this, but...
Thank you, Epstein.
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This guy is brilliant and extremely pleasant
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Wow this is just so much. This is lecture that need to be studied at least a couple times minimum
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@biswaajitG From YouTube ↗ 21 Jun 2026 113
Please just focus on the video , not the comments
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I think this is going to be the only interview I'm gonna watch more than once. I definitely have to rewatch it.