Jess Ekstrom, founder of Mic Drop Workshop and author of the new book Making It Without Losing It, argues that treating creativity as a reward to be deferred until a major milestone is a widespread trap. She calls this deferral an epidemic and says it may be the single biggest drag on organizational performance today.
Ekstrom, who has studied the neuroscience behind this pattern, shared three insights for leaders based on her work. The first lesson urges leaders to recognize that waiting to feel ready stifles innovation and progress, and that creativity must be practiced daily rather than treated as a future reward.
The second lesson focuses on embracing imperfection and small, consistent actions over the pursuit of a perfect moment. Ekstrom emphasizes that momentum, not readiness, is the true catalyst for creative output.
Her third insight centers on the importance of environment and mindset: leaders must create psychological safety for themselves and their teams to experiment and fail without judgment. This, she argues, is the only way to break the cycle of deferral.
A counterargument to Ekstrom's framework is that some creative work genuinely benefits from incubation and preparation, and that not all decisions should be rushed. Critics might note that discipline and timing, not just spontaneity, play a role in high-stakes innovation.
The brief is composed exclusively from the provided Fast Company article, which draws on an interview with Jess Ekstrom and her book. No additional context or external data was added.