What is *How to Fly a Horse* by Kevin Ashton about?

*How to Fly a Horse* debunks the myth of innate creative genius, arguing that innovation arises from ordinary, incremental efforts. Kevin Ashton uses historical examples—like the Wright brothers and Rosalind Franklin—to show how collaboration, persistence, and problem-solving drive breakthroughs. The book emphasizes that creativity is a universal skill accessible through hard work, not a rare gift.

Who should read *How to Fly a Horse*?

This book is ideal for entrepreneurs, artists, educators, and anyone seeking to demystify creativity. Ashton’s insights are valuable for teams aiming to foster innovation, individuals facing creative blocks, or readers interested in historical case studies of invention. Its practical advice applies across industries, from technology to the arts.

Is *How to Fly a Horse* worth reading?

Yes—readers praise it as a compelling blend of inspiration, history, and actionable advice. Reviewers highlight its fresh perspective on creativity, calling it “one of the best books you haven’t read” for its balance of storytelling and practical frameworks. It’s particularly recommended for skeptics of the “lone genius” narrative.

How does Kevin Ashton redefine creativity?

Ashton defines creativity as an ordinary, iterative process involving problem-solving and persistence. He rejects the idea of “eureka moments,” arguing that breakthroughs like the Wright brothers’ airplane or DNA discovery resulted from accumulated small steps, not innate talent. Creativity, he asserts, is a universal human trait.

What role does failure play in *How to Fly a Horse*?

Failure is framed as essential to innovation. Ashton illustrates how setbacks provide critical feedback, using examples like Thomas Edison’s repeated experiments and Rosalind Franklin’s perseverance in DNA research. The book encourages viewing failure as a necessary step toward solutions, not a final outcome.

What historical examples support Ashton’s thesis?

Key examples include: - **The Wright Brothers**: Their iterative approach to flight, testing wing shapes and controls. - **Edmond Albius**: A 12-year-old enslaved boy who revolutionized vanilla pollination. - **Rosalind Franklin**: Her foundational but overlooked DNA research. These cases underscore collaboration and incremental progress.

What is the “creativity myth” Ashton challenges?

The myth claims creativity is a rare, innate gift reserved for “geniuses.” Ashton argues this belief stifles innovation by discouraging ordinary people from pursuing ideas. He contrasts this with real-world examples of creators who succeeded through systematic effort rather than divine inspiration.

How does Ashton emphasize collaboration in creativity?

The book highlights how innovations—from the first airplane to DNA’s discovery—rely on building others’ work. Ashton stresses that no creation happens in isolation, citing teams like Jobs and Wozniak at Apple and the collaborative nature of scientific research.

How to Fly a Horse Summary, PDF, EPUB, Audio

How to Fly a Horse

Kevin Ashton

4.01 (2193 Reviews)

Creativity Self-growth Business

Aperçu

Points Clés

Auteur

Questions Fréquentes

Forget the "creative genius" myth. "How to Fly a Horse" reveals creativity as ordinary, accessible work requiring persistence through failure. Kevin Ashton's game-changing perspective has inspired innovators worldwide. What if your next breakthrough is simply waiting for your patient, determined effort?

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Everyone can create, but there are no shortcuts-only persistent work despite doubt, failure, and rejection.

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How to Fly a Horse n'est pas qu'un simple livre — c'est une masterclass en Creativity. Pour vous aider à absorber ses leçons de la manière qui vous convient le mieux, nous proposons cinq modes d'apprentissage uniques. Que vous soyez un penseur profond, un apprenant rapide ou un amateur d'histoires, il y a un mode conçu pour votre style.

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@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

Cree par des anciens de Columbia University a San Francisco

BeFreed rassemble une communauté mondiale de 1,000,000 esprits curieux

Decouvrez comment BeFreed est discute sur le web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

1.5K Ratings4.7

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How to Fly a Horse

Kevin Ashton

4.01 (2193 Reviews)

Creativity Self-growth Business

Aperçu

Points Clés

Auteur

Questions Fréquentes

Explorez Votre Façon d'Apprendre

Résumé Rapide11min

Ressentez le livre à travers la voix de l'auteur

Approfondissement42min

Transformez les connaissances en idées captivantes et riches en exemples

Fiches mémo10 idées

Capturez les idées clés en un éclair pour un apprentissage rapide

Fun25min

Profitez du livre de manière ludique et engageante

Meilleure citation de How to Fly a Horse

Everyone can create, but there are no shortcuts-only persistent work despite doubt, failure, and rejection.

Dans le même genre

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Grace Hawthorne

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The Link Between Creativity, Cognition, and Creative Drives and ...

6 sources

Becoming the World's Most Inventive Genius

6 sources

Creative Rich, Execution Poor: Breaking the Pattern

Points clés

The Lie We've Been Told About Genius and What Really Drives Creation

00:00

A forged letter from 1815 claimed Mozart composed entire symphonies in his head, effortlessly transcribing perfect music onto paper. We want to believe this story-that creativity is a gift bestowed on the chosen few, arriving in magical flashes of inspiration. But here's what actually happened: Mozart worked obsessively, revised constantly, and needed his instruments to compose. He struggled. He erased. He rewrote. The myth persists because it's comforting to believe that if we're not geniuses, we're simply not creative. This convenient fiction lets us off the hook. The word "creativity" didn't even exist until 1926, when philosopher Alfred North Whitehead coined it to describe something mystical and rare. Meanwhile, the reality tells a different story entirely. A twelve-year-old enslaved boy named Edmond Albius solved a problem that had stumped botanists for centuries. Using a bamboo toothpick, he figured out how to hand-pollinate vanilla orchids-a technique still used worldwide today. His innovation wasn't born from genius but from careful observation and experimentation. What makes Edmond unusual isn't that he created something-it's that history actually remembered his name. Most creators remain invisible, their contributions absorbed into the fabric of progress without acknowledgment. The numbers don't lie. The U.S. Patent Office took 130 years to grant its first million patents but only 8 years for its sixth million. Copyright registrations exploded from 5,600 in 1870 to over 600,000 by 1991. Scientific papers increased tenfold between 1955 and 2005. When we actually start counting creators, they're everywhere-nearly as many Americans received first patents in 2011 as attended a typical NASCAR race. This isn't a story about rare genius. It's a story about human nature itself. Lewis Terman tried to prove otherwise in 1921 with his "Genetic Studies of Genius," tracking over 1,500 California children identified as gifted by IQ tests. His "Termites," as they were called, should have changed the world. Instead, many found ordinary jobs. Meanwhile, the kids Terman rejected-William Shockley and Luis Alvarez among them-went on to win Nobel Prizes. Genius doesn't predict creative ability because it isn't required for creation.

The Unglamorous Truth About How Creation Actually Works

The Brutal Price of Persistence and Why the World Resists New Ideas

Why Experts Miss What's Right in Front of Them and the Power of Beginner's Mind

The Stolen Legacy of Rosalind Franklin and the Rigged Game of Recognition

When Progress Destroys and Why We Need More Innovation, Not Less

The Crossroads Where Passion Meets Purpose and Creation Becomes Inevitable

Explorez Votre Façon d'Apprendre

Résumé Rapide

Résumé de How to Fly a Horse en 11 Minutes

Décomposez les idées clés de How to Fly a Horse en points faciles à comprendre pour découvrir comment les équipes innovantes créent, collaborent et grandissent.

00:00

Fiches mémo

Top 10 Idées de How to Fly a Horse en Bref

Condensez How to Fly a Horse en indices de mémoire rapides mettant en évidence les principes clés de franchise, de travail d'équipe et de résilience créative.

Fun

Leçons de How to Fly a Horse Racontées en Histoires de 25 Min

Découvrez How to Fly a Horse à travers des récits vivants qui transforment les leçons d'innovation en moments mémorables et applicables.

00:00

Personnaliser

Découvrez How to Fly a Horse à votre façon.

Posez n'importe quelle question, choisissez la voix et co-créez des idées qui résonnent vraiment avec vous.

Cree par des anciens de Columbia University a San Francisco

BeFreed rassemble une communauté mondiale de 1,000,000 esprits curieux

Decouvrez comment BeFreed est discute sur le web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

Cree par des anciens de Columbia University a San Francisco

BeFreed rassemble une communauté mondiale de 1,000,000 esprits curieux

Decouvrez comment BeFreed est discute sur le web

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA

117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum

108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC

254

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful

4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon

201

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn

483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu

1.5K Ratings4.7

Commencez votre parcours d'apprentissage, maintenant

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How to Fly a Horse by Kevin Ashton Summary

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Similar books to How to Fly a Horse

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Mode Résumé Rapide - Lisez ou écoutez le résumé de How to Fly a Horse en 11 minutes

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How to Fly a Horse by Kevin Ashton Summary

Overview of How to Fly a Horse

Similar books to How to Fly a Horse

Meilleure citation de How to Fly a Horse

Dans le même genre

Points clés

The Lie We've Been Told About Genius and What Really Drives Creation

The Unglamorous Truth About How Creation Actually Works

The Brutal Price of Persistence and Why the World Resists New Ideas

Why Experts Miss What's Right in Front of Them and the Power of Beginner's Mind

The Stolen Legacy of Rosalind Franklin and the Rigged Game of Recognition

When Progress Destroys and Why We Need More Innovation, Not Less

The Crossroads Where Passion Meets Purpose and Creation Becomes Inevitable

Mode Résumé Rapide - Lisez ou écoutez le résumé de How to Fly a Horse en 11 minutes

Mode Fiches mémo - Top 10 Idées de How to Fly a Horse en Bref

Mode Fun - Leçons de How to Fly a Horse Racontées en Histoires de 25 Min

Mode Personnaliser - Lisez ou écoutez le résumé de How to Fly a Horse en 0 minutes

Telecharger How to Fly a Horse PDF

Telecharger How to Fly a Horse EPUB

Dans le même genre

Points clés

The Lie We've Been Told About Genius and What Really Drives Creation

The Unglamorous Truth About How Creation Actually Works

The Brutal Price of Persistence and Why the World Resists New Ideas

Why Experts Miss What's Right in Front of Them and the Power of Beginner's Mind

The Stolen Legacy of Rosalind Franklin and the Rigged Game of Recognition

When Progress Destroys and Why We Need More Innovation, Not Less

The Crossroads Where Passion Meets Purpose and Creation Becomes Inevitable