Creativity isn’t just about skill—it’s about perspective. The best ideas don’t always come when we’re actively searching for them. Instead, they sneak in during quiet moments, slip into our thoughts when we’re distracted, or emerge from mistakes we’d rather forget.

Ever noticed how inspiration strikes in the shower, mid-commute, or right before falling asleep? That’s because our brains are wired for patterns, but they light up when something disrupts those patterns. The unexpected forces us to think differently, to problem-solve in ways we wouldn’t have considered otherwise.

Take a simple typo. It could be a mistake, or it could be the foundation of a clever tagline. A spilled coffee? Maybe the start of an accidental new art piece or a fresh color palette for your next project. A wrong turn? It might lead you to the best hidden café you never knew existed, changing your whole routine for the better. The magic isn’t in forcing ideas to come—it’s in recognizing them when they arrive, often disguised as happy accidents.

Great creators embrace the unexpected. They lean into mistakes, explore tangents, and welcome disruptions as opportunities. This mindset isn’t just for artists or designers—it’s for anyone looking to innovate. When we stop seeing problems as roadblocks and start viewing them as creative detours, we unlock new possibilities.

So, how can you invite more of the unexpected into your process? Try switching tools. Sketch instead of typing, talk instead of writing, work in a new environment. Flip perspectives. Look at a project upside down, approach it as if you were a beginner, or explain it to someone completely outside your field.

And the next time something doesn’t go as planned, pause before you hit undo. Maybe—just maybe—it’s the start of something brilliant.