Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions [Paperback]

Ph.D. Eric Maisel (Author), Ann Maisel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 18, 2010

It’s true: a mind is a terrible thing to waste. Yet that’s what we do when we spend our weekend — and neurons — reliving a workplace squabble, spend a family visit chewing over childhood issues, or spend hours beating ourselves up when someone brings one of our own long-held (but never worked on) ideas to fruition. This kind of obsessing gets us, like a hamster on a wheel, nowhere. But as noted creativity expert Eric Maisel asserts, obsessing productively leads to fulfillment rather than frustration. A productive obsession, whether an idea for a novel, a business, or a vaccine, is chosen deliberately and pursued with determination. In this provocative, practical guide, Maisel coaches you to use the tendency to obsess to your creative advantage, fulfilling both your promise and your promises to yourself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Eric Maisel (Coaching the Artist Within), a creativity coach and columnist, and wife Ann Maisel (What Would Your Character Do?) have collaborated on a self-help book with an intriguing twist: that the right kind of "productive" obsession is not only desirable but an essential feature of creativity. To lend credibility to their claim the Maisels reference research into consciousness that suggests the cerebral cortex contains dynamic cooperatives of neurons which may lay the foundation for "a productive obsession that is a large neuronal gestalt of long duration - a big idea that lasts a long time." In answer to the criticism that any obsession might be dangerous, the Maisels acknowledge that this possibility hasn't been thoroughly investigated but believe the gains outweigh any potential negatives. The process of nurturing productive obsessions, the authors believe, is at the heart of how we value life and find purpose. It goes beyond simple stimulation, neat ideas, or interesting hobbies. By "investing meaning," in our ideas, we can move from mere interest to "the meaningfulness of authentic engagement." All too often people overlook the basics of a productive life, distracted by multitasking, marketing, and information overload. With this provocative departure from the usual lifestyle manual, the Maisels are out to break us of those tendencies.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Turn brain potential into passion, energy, and genuine accomplishments.”
— Camille Minichino, physicist and author of the Periodic Table Mysteries

“What a pivotal way to experience your brain and all that it can create! I love that this book celebrates and teaches the concept of productive obsession and the multitudinous gifts of brainstorming.”
— SARK, author, artist, and creative fountain

“A great tool for anyone who might be feeling stuck with a creative urge or idea but hasn’t brought it to fruition. You’ll discover how to use your brain as your ally and go beyond what you thought possible.”
— Phyllis Lane, documentary filmmaker

“Elegantly combines the most inspiring elements of mindfulness, engagement, focus, and flow. Eric Maisel shows how we can be more productive by turning obsessions into positive passions.”
— Susan K. Perry, PhD, social psychologist, author of Writing in Flow, and creativity blogger for Psychology Today

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (May 18, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577316215
• ISBN-13: 978-1577316213
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #662,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Covers the same ground so often, it amounts to pacing., June 4, 2010

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Greg "Saganite" (Brooklyn Park, Mongolia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions (Paperback)

I like Maisel. I found his book The Atheist's Way: Living Well Without Gods useful and, for lack of a better word, inspiring. So much so that I tracked down a couple of his other books and started to read them as well, and added Brainstorm to my Wish List the day I learned it was coming out.

But here's the thing: for someone who is a creativity coach, his body of work does not show a great deal of creativity. Not only do I not seeing Maisel producing notable works of, say, literature or film or art, but even the books he creates tend to be pretty much the same sort of advice over and over, with minor variations in emphasis. As good as I found Atheist's Way, it's hard not to conclude after seeing the efforts that came before or after it that it might not have been just one more marketing trick, one more way to package some advice that is very sound, very excellent--but not very original--for an additional audience. In one sense there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I was grateful for the nod to atheists' hard work of creating meaning and wresting meaning from a universe that does not easily yield it.

In another sense, though, it's hard to escape the sarcastic voice in my head when I read "Brainstorm" saying something along the lines of, "Physician, heal thyself." Don't preach to me about the crucial nature of creativity, of productive obsessions, when you have been writing the same book for several years now.

That, however, is a meta-criticism across the entirety of Maisel's output. Taken by itself, Brainstorm is a good book. It is a clear, concise, cogent prod to creativity and actually taking the steps, doing the work, absolutely essential to having the kind of life one can feel good about and proud of. That's a terrifically valuable assertion to make, and the advice is top-drawer. All that being said, I wish that someone as obviously talented as Maisel is could move beyond his obsession for marketing a few good ideas and get a brainstorm about some new contribution to make. I have no doubt it could be momentous.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good points, lots of filler, May 28, 2010

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M. DeFoe (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions (Paperback)

I really wanted to like this book, and I do - to a point.

There are excellent points made in the book - about choosing the direction of your mental energy, not wasting your obsessions, turning off bad obsessions, and brainstorming with intention. These fall under a general distrust of "scope creep." Very important to keep in mind and something I've recently taken more serious to great benefit.

But the majority of the book is filler - fluff stories and anecdotals that extend the page count and justify the seller's cost I assume. These junk sentences surround, and at times smother, the good and valuable nuggets of wisdom that give life to this author's argument.

This is an okay book with very good points made. Don't waste your time reading every sentence - skim this book, highlight the important segments (they pop) and don't let the rest frustrate you. Accept it for what it is and use the few and good from these pages to your advantage.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Scientific Look At Creativity That Leaves The Reader Asking, "How?", September 12, 2010

By 

Richard Szponder "Richard Szponder" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions (Paperback)

In Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions, Eric and Ann Maisel suggest that obsessing over an idea can be healthy, if the idea is related to creativity. Based in psychology, Brainstorm suggests that we waste too much time and energy on unproductive thoughts, and if we force those thoughts out of our brains while at the same time focusing on creative ideas, the possibilities are endless.

Brainstorm is highly theoretical in that it very frequently discusses human potential in ideas and concepts that seem very possible. However, it offers little to no practical application of the concepts. The book's ideas are primarily demonstrated by quotes from individuals who have participated in the Maisels' productive obsession groups, but very frequently is there any explanation as to how any of these individuals achieved their results.

The most practical help within the book are the chapters on determining what is productive versus non-productive and how to choose a productive obsession that is worthy of your heart's strongest desires. Each chapter concludes with a real-life example of a creative individual, famous or not, who succeeded in conquering the boundaries and bringing new ideas to fruition.

Another important chapter in the book explains to the reader that creativity is not necessarily about the end product by rather about appreciating the journey along the way. Focusing too heavily on the end product can impede the natural twists and turns that creativity takes along the way. Perhaps the end product will be quite different from what the individual set out to initially create. And perhaps it will be much more extraordinary.

Without the practical application explaining just how to get to these stages of creative awakening, the book leaves the reader saying something along the lines of, "That's great, and I believe what the authors are saying. But how do I get there?"

The book is also based in science rather than spirituality. So those creative types who believe creativity is strongly linked to a higher power or creative flow of energy in the universe may find this book dry and unemotional. For most artists and creative types, the emotion that comes with creativity is one of the highlights of the journey. Thinking of creativity as strictly scientific without any divine intervention impedes the artist and leaves him asking, "Then what's the point?"

Brainstorm is worth reading and adding to a library of books on creative inspiration. However, it is much less inspiring than other books, like The Artist's Way, for example. For practical examples and real-life how-to exercises, The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron would be much more worthwhile investment, as it truly helps someone get out of a creative slump, deal with the issues related to blocked creativity, and move forward into a creative existence.