Want to learn the ideas in Creative Quest better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of Creative Quest by Questlove here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of Creative Quest

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on Creative Quest, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Questlove.

1-Page Summary of Creative Quest

Overview

Questlove is a musical artist and he still struggles with the creative process. He consumes other people’s art more than creating his own. Most books about creativity take one of two approaches: they either explain it in an easy-to-follow manner or they treat creativity like it will make you better as a person.

Questlove wants to teach you how to be creative by sharing his own personal experiences and those of other artists. He’ll also give you advice on how to grow as an artist and a human being, but it’s up to you to take that advice and use it in your own life.

Ideas are everywhere. Learn how to recognize and develop the best ones, so you can be confident in your own creative process.

The Spark

One of Questlove’s first memories was his father’s record collection. The records were so vast in genre and quantity that he could listen to a different one every night. He was amazed that an idea from someone’s mind could be captured in something solid and tangible, such as a vinyl record.

People have different definitions of creativity. Questlove prefers to define it as the creation of something new, and he is a creative person because he creates things (music).

Everyone has the ability to be creative. The way ideas are executed may vary, but everyone can do it. Thus, people need to learn how to receive and implement their ideas. Creativity requires an openness to inspiration so that you’re not filtering out information all of the time. Harvard psychologist Shelley Carson found that students who were less alert could solve problems better than those who weren’t tired because they allowed more random ideas into their brains (that helped them solve problems).

Because creativity is so important, you must let more ideas into your mind. Only after that should you start filtering out the good and bad ones.

Mentors and (Apprentices)

When Questlove was young, he learned about creativity from his mentor Richard Nichols. However, not everyone has a specific individual as a mentor.

In his book, Questlove interviews dozens of chefs about their careers. Many of them did learn under the guidance of a mentor, but they all stress the importance of learning from everyone around you at all times. Whether or not you have a mentor, influencers are always around you. Some pop up when you least expect it; for example, J Dilla was an influential musician who changed how Questlove felt about music in general. Another time, Questlove heard another DJ that profoundly affected him, even though he never saw that person again.

Anybody can be an influencer, so you should be receptive to influence. Some people think that they’re not creative because they’re trying to emulate those who have affected them.

Artists rarely create something totally original. Most artists are inspired by things they love, and they try to re-create that thing in their own way so that they can experience the joy of it again. Young creators should focus less on trying to be unique and more on being creative and using influences from other sources.

Getting Started…

Ideas are always around us, but we sometimes struggle to tap into them. Maybe you’re tired or stressed, or maybe you’ve just been in a rut for too long and can’t think of anything new. In these situations it’s important to try anything—whether that means eating something different, going for a walk, watching a movie—anything that will stimulate your creativity.

To immerse yourself in art, organize your bookshelf or rehang the art on your walls. For instance, Questlove prunes his MP3 playlist by deleting duplicate songs.