The Silent Killer of Creativity - by Greg Wheeler

How a tea bag taught me to cultivate insights

A few days ago, I took a stroll—not through a park, but through my old notes. I filtered them by “older than a year” and started scrolling, just seeing what would catch my eye.

That’s when I found it: a note titled “The tea bag has a ton of potential, but it can only serve its purpose after being steeped.”

I didn’t remember writing it at first, but I was drawn in—the title itself was an invitation. Almost four years ago, on June 1, 2021, I had written this down after reading a scripture about being steeped in God-reality. The word steeped had sparked this thought, and now, all this time later, the idea was resurfacing.

It’s a reminder that titles matter. They hold curiosity, they pull us in. I wasn’t sure what was inside this note, but the title made me want to open it—like a little package waiting to be unwrapped.

And so, a question bubbled up: What actually happens when you steep a tea bag? A simple, curious question.

Finding the answer to this question led me to a connection I hadn’t expected—the connection between tea bags and ideas.

Fresh Water, Fresh Thinking

I was scanning through GPT’s answer on steeping, reading the process when suddenly, these words popped out:

“Use fresh, filtered water for the best taste.”

There it was. The purity of the water impacts the final result of the tea—just as the quality of our environment affects the outcome of our ideas. If the water is contaminated or stale, the tea won’t taste its best. Similarly, a cluttered or distracted mind can dilute the clarity and potential of your ideas.

When my mind gets overwhelmed or distracted, I intentionally reduce input—no podcasts, videos, or audiobooks. I go for a walk, just me and the world around me. This simple act of clearing the mental clutter gives space for new thoughts and ideas to emerge, just like tea leaves releasing their flavor in clean water.

I also consider what I’m feeding my mind with because murky minds can’t see fresh ideas. Scripture offers a guide for this:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." — Philippians 4:8

It’s interesting that the word “true” is there. The opposite of that is a lie, right? Is it possible that if our mind is consumed with a lie or lies, our brain wouldn’t be able to see anything else? Another word that stands out: lovely. Think about things of beauty. I’ve seen it in my own life—when I consider an oak tree or a butterfly, somehow, ideas always follow.

💡 Question: What helps clear your mind? Is it time away from distractions, like a walk? What do you need to give your ideas the environment to steep properly?

Temperature & Timing

As I continued scanning GPT’s answer, something else stood out to me: Different types of tea require different temperatures and steeping times. Not all tea is the same. Not all ideas are the same, either.

Some ideas, for me, seem to grow very slowly, almost at a snail-like pace. Others seem to blossom quickly, without warning. And both are okay. There’s no need to rush the process.

Every idea has its own rhythm and timing.

The mathematician Alexander Grothendieck once described two ways to approach a difficult problem. You could try to crack it open with a hammer and chisel, forcing your way through. Or, you could place it in water and wait—letting time soften the shell until it opens effortlessly.

Creativity works the same way.

Some ideas need patience, space, and the right conditions to transform into something meaningful. Rushing only makes the process harder.

Sometimes, a good night's sleep is one of the best things I can do for an idea that won’t seem to “grow.” It’s like steeping tea overnight—without pressure, just waiting for the right conditions to bring out the richness of the flavor.

It was interesting to see how hot water reactivates the tea leaves' cellular structure.

It’s as if they’ve been dormant, waiting for the right moment—until the hot water wakes them up. There’s something powerful about this idea: that, like the tea leaves, sometimes our thoughts or ideas have been “asleep” or tucked away, only needing the right environment to come alive.

💡 Challenge: What ideas have you left sitting in your notes, waiting for the right moment? Maybe it’s time to let them steep.

Bringing Ideas to Life

Your best insights won’t emerge from noise or pressure—they need space, clarity, and the right conditions to grow.

So here’s a challenge:

Clear your mental water. Step away from distractions or journal about potential lies you’ve been believing, even for a few minutes. See what thoughts rise to the surface.
Pay attention to what you’re steeping in. The ideas you dwell on shape what you create. Choose inputs that inspire and sharpen your thinking.
Let time do its work. Not every idea is ready today—but that doesn’t mean it won’t be.

And maybe, just maybe—take a scroll through your old notes. Some ideas aren’t lost; they’re just waiting for the right moment to wake up.

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