# Creative limitation

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**Creative limitation** is the concept of how purposely limiting oneself can actually drive creativity. At a 2013 [TED conference](/source/TED_(conference)), artist [Phil Hansen](/source/Phil_Hansen_(artist)) made several remarks concerning the value of limitations, among them that "We need to first be limited in order to become limitless,” and “If you treat the problems as possibilities, life will start to dance with you in the most amazing ways.”[TED.com 1]

Creative limitation can also be thought of as a way to achieve a novel effect or goal that is not otherwise possible using [conventional](/source/Convention_(norm)), readily accessible, methods. [Igor Stravinsky](/source/Igor_Stravinsky) used what he called creative limitation with [time signatures](/source/Time_signature), by restricting himself from using any, in his [composition](/source/Musical_composition) '[The Rite of Spring](/source/The_Rite_of_Spring)' as well as in alternate aspects of his other musical works.

## See also

- [Constrained writing](/source/Constrained_writing)
- [Oulipo](/source/Oulipo)
- [Selective retention](/source/Selective_retention)

## References

1. May, Kate Torgovnick (5 March 2013). ["Can limitations make you more creative? A Q&A with artist Phil Hansen"](https://blog.ted.com/can-limitations-make-you-more-creative-a-qa-with-artist-phil-hansen/). *Writer*. TED Blog. Retrieved 17 May 2014.

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