The most successful inventions have one thing in common: creativity. But keeping creativity can be difficult. Previous research has focused on the benefits of awards or recognition, but Professor Markus Baer has found something different.
To study the effect receiving an award or recognition had on producers, Baer and other researchers conducted a study of 224 first-time cookbook authors in the United Kingdom. It was found that only about 50% of cookbook authors with a successful debut went on to produce a second cookbook. Interestingly, they also discovered that the more creative the first cookbook was, the less likely the author was to produce a second cookbook.
"In our study, we found that people who develop creative ideas and receive awards for them start to see themselves as a creative person. This new-found identity is then in need of protection, " Baer said. "Stepping out of this new-found identity—by producing an idea that may disappoint in comparison to their earlier work—always makes them stressed out. "
One way to avoid the bad situation is to stop producing works altogether. You cannot compromise （使陷入危险） your good name when you do not produce anything new. According to Baer, Harper Lee is a perfect example of this. Her first book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is one of the bestselling and most loved American novels of all time. Yet she didn' t publish again until 55 years later.
Creativity is most likely to thrive in environments where producers are motivated primarily by the challenge and meaning of the work itself and don't have to worry about the impact on their previously established reputation, Baer said.
Therefore, in Baer's view, to encourage continuous creativity, we must make sure that rewards and recognition are not only offered for the outcome of the creative process-a new product—but aiso for the process of developing the outcome. Besides, we must reward both success and learning from failure. While success is difficult to predict and often requires a fair amount of luck, learning from failure can be immensely beneficial and should be encouraged.
