Creative Confidence by David Kelley Summary
Unleash your hidden creative genius with the book that transformed how Silicon Valley innovates. "Creative Confidence" demolishes the myth that creativity is innate - it's learnable, says IDEO's Kelleys. "This changed me," confesses Brene Brown. Discover why Tom Peters calls it "a five-star Wow!"
About the author
David Kelley, co-author of *Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All*, is a pioneering design thinker and innovation strategist renowned for reshaping how organizations approach problem-solving. As founder of the global design firm IDEO and Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school), Kelley merges engineering rigor with human-centered creativity—a theme central to his book’s exploration of overcoming self-doubt to unlock innovation. His work at IDEO, which has collaborated with Fortune 500 companies and startups alike, established design thinking as a mainstream methodology for tackling complex challenges. A professor emeritus at Stanford’s School of Engineering, Kelley’s teachings have influenced generations of entrepreneurs and executives, embedding creative confidence into curricula at leading business schools. The book distills his decades of research and practice into actionable strategies, cementing his role as a bridge between academia and industry. *Creative Confidence* has become a foundational text in innovation workshops worldwide and is frequently cited in leadership programs at companies like Google and Apple.
From Columbia University alumni | built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
12
117"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
12108"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
25417"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
964.5K"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
201
16"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
37483"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
12117"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
12108"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
25417"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
964.5K"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
20116"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
37483"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
12117"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
12108"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
25417"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
964.5K"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
20116"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
37483"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
See More Stories?
Your personalized audio episodes, reflections, and insights — tailored to how you learn.
Get the Creative Confidence summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.