How to Fly a Horse audiobook cover - The Secret History of Creation, Invention and Discovery

How to Fly a Horse

The Secret History of Creation, Invention and Discovery

Kevin Ashton

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Categories:
CreativityMotivation & Inspiration

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How to Fly a Horse
Debunking the Genius Myth+
The Lineage of Innovation+
Creation via Gradual Steps+
The Role of Work and Failure+
Effective Teamwork+
Creative Mindset+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8
According to the text, what is a common fallacy about creativity?
  • A. It is the result of individual genius and magical flashes of insight.
  • B. It requires a minimum amount of formal education and training.
  • C. It can only be achieved by working in large, diverse teams.
  • D. It relies heavily on the phenomenon of inattentional blindness.
Question 2 of 8
How does the author explain Archimedes' famous 'Eureka!' moment?
  • A. It was a spontaneous burst of inspiration entirely unrelated to his prior work.
  • B. It was the result of a long period of thinking about and trying to solve a specific problem.
  • C. It occurred only because he was actively collaborating with other Greek philosophers.
  • D. It was a lucky accident that happened while he was completely distracted.
Question 3 of 8
What does the story of 12-year-old Edmond and the vanilla orchid illustrate about innovation?
  • A. True innovation requires ignoring the advice of experts and mentors.
  • B. Age and formal education are the most important factors in scientific discovery.
  • C. Groundbreaking discoveries usually happen in complete isolation.
  • D. New creations always build upon the work and knowledge of previous thinkers.
Question 4 of 8
How did Steve Jobs approach the design of the iPhone?
  • A. By having a singular 'Eureka' moment that provided the complete design overnight.
  • B. By taking giant leaps into unknown technologies without prior testing.
  • C. By continuously asking minor questions and solving problems step-by-step.
  • D. By delegating the initial conceptualization entirely to his engineering team.
Question 5 of 8
Why does the author mention the study of the clown on a unicycle?
  • A. To demonstrate how 'inattentional blindness' can prevent us from seeing unexpected possibilities.
  • B. To show that humorous distractions are necessary to fuel the creative process.
  • C. To prove that modern technology makes people more creative in public spaces.
  • D. To illustrate that wacky ideas are almost always immediately accepted by the general public.
Question 6 of 8
What lesson is drawn from Igor Stravinsky's daily routine and Stephen King's writing process?
  • A. Creative success requires waiting patiently for inspiration to strike.
  • B. True creators rarely experience failure or need to revise their work.
  • C. Creation requires immense hard work, commitment, and the acceptance of failure.
  • D. Artists must completely isolate themselves from society to be productive.
Question 7 of 8
What is recommended as the most effective team structure for creative projects?
  • A. Large, diverse groups with strict hierarchical management.
  • B. Small, isolated, highly motivated groups, ideally consisting of just two people.
  • C. Cross-functional teams that brainstorm together but never work individually.
  • D. Teams that prioritize maintaining the stability of the organization's status quo.
Question 8 of 8
What is the primary purpose of the 'show me' approach in a creative organization?
  • A. To force employees to present their ideas using complex digital presentations.
  • B. To discourage employees from challenging the current, established designs.
  • C. To bring novel ideas out into the open and immediately test their validity.
  • D. To ensure that managers get credit for the innovations of their subordinates.

How to Fly a Horse — Full Chapter Overview

How to Fly a Horse Summary & Overview

How to Fly a Horse (2015) delves into the process of creation and ultimately discovers that the very act itself is far more ordinary than we often think. In fact, in building upon the creative work of generations of thinkers, anyone can create, as long as they have the grit and determination to do so.

Who Should Listen to How to Fly a Horse?

  • Anyone lacking the confidence to follow through with a new idea
  • Anyone interested in the process of creation

About the Author: Kevin Ashton

As co-founder of the Auto-ID center at MIT, Kevin Ashton pioneered a new generation of computing which he calls the “Internet of Things.” In addition to speaking about innovation and technology, Ashton has led many successful technology start-ups and some interesting social experiments.

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