Why constraints make us more creative

This image captures the creative journey. From creative blocks to creative blossoming.

What if the very thing holding you back was actually the key to your best work?

I didn’t expect to have this realization at an art exhibition a few days ago. But that’s how the universe works—it speaks, even when you’re not listening.

I was standing in front of a watercolor painting, the kind that pulls you in and refuses to let go. Yan Vince Mutesa, the artist, stood beside me, talking about his process. “I only use two brushes, water, and watercolor,” he said. “That’s it.”

I must have looked surprised because he smiled and added, “Creativity comes out really when you have limited resources.”

I left the exhibition thinking about constraints, about how we often treat them like barriers, when in reality, they’re something else entirely. 

Yan’s words stuck with me because, in many ways, I had already lived them.

In communications, I’ve had to launch campaigns with tiny budgets. I've had to craft messages when words were restricted to a character count. I’ve worked with deadlines so tight that even coffee couldn’t keep up. And yet—some of my best ideas came from those very limitations.

Why? Because when options shrink, creativity expands. When you can’t do things the easy way, you’re forced to find a better way. And this isn’t just true for art and communications.

Just a few days later, I listened to an episode of Hidden Brain titled "How to Be More Creative," where host Shankar Vedantam spoke with social psychologist Sheena Iyengar. They discussed how constraints can actually enhance creativity—a concept that resonated deeply with my recent encounter.

Sheena Iyengar highlights the Wright Brothers as proof that constraints drive innovation. The Wright brothers dreamed of flight, but they had no formal engineering training and little money. What they did have was curiosity—and constraints. Lacking resources, they turned to nature, watching birds glide effortlessly through the air. They studied wing shapes, wind resistance, and balance. Each limitation forced them to refine, to simplify and to innovate. 

In the end, their lack of resources didn’t ground them. It gave them the perspective they needed to develop the first successful powered aircraft.

This pattern repeats everywhere. Constraints don’t kill creativity. They force it to evolve. But don’t take my word for it. Research backs this up.

Sheena Iyengar shares a fascinating study from NYU where participants were asked to create paintings or scarves. Some were given six materials, others up to fifteen. Surprisingly, those with fewer materials produced more creative work. She then comes to the conclusion that giving people more options doesn't actually lead to all the benefits that we often associate or think it will give us. 

Yan knew this. The Wright Brothers knew this. And, in my own way, I’ve come to know it too.

So the next time you feel stuck—when the budget is too small, the tools too few, the time too short—ask yourself: What if this isn’t a roadblock? What if it’s a doorway?

The best work often comes not from abundance, but from necessity. The universe has a way of whispering lessons in unexpected places. Are you listening?

If you're interested in exploring this concept further, I highly recommend listening to the Hidden Brain episode "How to Be More Creative?” here.