Lessons in Creativity

How do our everyday choices infuse our lives with purpose? What happens to the things we create, and how do they impact others? How does innovation influence our lives, our communities and the spaces we share?

Lessons in Creativity is a powerful exploration of what it means to be creative, offering readers a blend of personal stories, unexpected insights and inspirational takeaways. Australian designer Ben Rennie takes readers on a journey from working with world-leading brands, including Chanel, Luxottica and Gore-Tex, to the everyday moments that shape the imagination. In this book, you'll follow Ben as he explores the tangible, personal power of creative confidence.

We often underestimate the potential of our own creativity, believing it belongs to artists, writers or performers. But creativity is inherently human — it's about showing up with generosity and curiosity. Whether you're an accountant, a politician, a full-time parent or an engineer, creativity brings exciting thinking and purpose to life.

As the foundation of our work, relationships and lives, creativity brings meaning and fulfilment to everything we do. Lessons in Creativity reaffirms our role as the architect of our destiny, with the ability to form new habits, craft fresh stories and unlock unseen horizons. It reveals a philosophy for aligning your daily actions with your deepest aspirations and values, using your creative confidence as the engine for transformation.

The creative journey is a winding road marked by persistence and self-awareness. Creativity is not something we have or we don't; we learn and develop it through practice. In adopting this mindset, we open ourselves to a world of possibility, where each decision brings us closer to realising a potential. In this sense, creative problem-solving is not a gift but a skill.

If you're feeling stuck or disconnected, Lessons in Creativity will inspire you to show up, take that first step and re-engage your creative potential.

Foreword ix

About the Author xi

Preface xiii

Introduction: Escape xvii

Part I: Origins: From empathy to awareness 1

1 Super Unknown 3

2 Cricket for Dummies 13

3 Blowing in the wind 25

Part II: Junctions: Purpose 37

4 North by Southwest (Airlines) 39

5 Gold 49

6 Slim your wallet 57

Part III: Connections: Exploration 67

7 Daylight robbery (by a little old lady)! 69

8 Waterproofed 79

9 Indoor what? 93

Part IV: Reflections: Meaning 103

10 The $40 000 question! 105

11 A real-life super suit 115

12 Design matters 127

Part V: Directions: Resilience 137

13 Where to park on your way to the future! 139

14 Standard standards are standard! 151

15 The adjacent possible 159

Part VI: Horizons: Growth 169

16 Time after time 171

17 Why so Sirius?! 181

18 Eaten by a whale 193

Conclusion: My ending is your beginning 207

Acknowledgements 209

BEN RENNIE is an award-winning writer, author, designer and director obsessed with creativity and its power to create change. He has worked with leading global brands in the USA, UK, Italy and Australia to harness design for impact. His work explores the intersection of creativity, business and culture, driven by a singular question: How can design help?

ORIGINS JUNCTIONS CONNECTIONS REFLECTIONS DIRECTIONS HORIZONS

While most kids believe they’re creative, few adults believe the same. Somewhere along the way, we unlearn the instinct to create, take risks, challenge ideas and imagine beyond what’s possible. Lessons in Creativity will help you regain that creative confidence.

In this book, Ben Rennie unpacks creativity through decades of working alongside global brands, building companies and rebuilding himself. Inside you’ll find a series of stories often reserved for boardrooms, whispered between the world’s most influential brands—including Nike, Patagonia, Chanel, Oakley, Gore-Tex, and more. Brands where creativity shapes industries, reinvents markets and changes lives. You’ll also find stories about the moments when things fall apart and the unexpected ways creativity can help put things back together.

If you’ve ever questioned your creativity or felt stuck in a system that rewards repetition over reinvention, this book is for you. Because creativity isn’t something you learn, it’s a choice that can reshape the world in any way we imagine.