7 weird things highly creative people do that others don’t understand

When people think of creativity, they often picture the glamorous parts—the brilliant ideas, the breakthroughs, the finished work that makes everyone go, “Wow, how did they come up with that?”

But living inside a creative mind is a lot messier. The habits that fuel imagination can look downright strange from the outside.

If you’ve ever felt misunderstood because of the way your mind works, you’re not alone. In fact, many of the quirks that puzzle other people are exactly what allow creative people to thrive.

Let’s look at seven of these “weird” behaviors—and why they actually make sense once you understand the creative process.

1. They talk to themselves more than you’d expect

Have you ever walked past someone who seems to be holding a full-on conversation with thin air?

Chances are, they’re not losing it—they’re probably creative. Talking to yourself out loud is one way creative minds process and refine ideas.

Psychologists have found that self-talk can improve focus, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. For creative people, verbalizing thoughts can spark new connections or highlight flaws they wouldn’t notice otherwise.

I’ve personally caught myself narrating entire outlines of articles before writing a single word. Sometimes I’ll pace around the room, talking through an argument like I’m debating with an invisible audience.

It’s not always pretty, but by the time I sit down to type, I’ve already “test-driven” the flow of ideas.

From the outside, it looks eccentric. On the inside, it’s like running drafts in real time.

2. They need chaos before they find clarity

Most people try to tidy up their desk before starting work. Creative types? They often let the chaos pile up until it looks like a miniature explosion. And strangely enough, they thrive in it.

A messy environment doesn’t always signal laziness—it can actually mirror the way creative thinking works. According to research published in Psychological Science, messy environments can encourage novel thinking and stimulate new ideas.

That scattered stack of notes, unfinished sketches, and half-empty coffee cups? It’s an ecosystem where inspiration hides.

I remember once when my desk got so cluttered that a friend joked it looked like a crime scene. But in that mess, I could trace the entire evolution of an idea—from scribbles on the back of a receipt to a fully fleshed-out concept.

For me, cleaning too early in the process feels like erasing evidence before the case is solved.

It’s not that creatives can’t be organized—it’s that they often tolerate disorder because it’s the breeding ground for breakthroughs.

3. They go missing into their own world

Have you ever asked a creative friend a simple question and noticed their eyes glaze over like they’ve left the room? That’s not them ignoring you. That’s them getting pulled into their inner world.

Daydreaming is often misunderstood as laziness or distraction, but neuroscientists see it differently.

The brain’s “default mode network,” which lights up when we’re not focused on the outside world, is strongly linked to imagination and problem-solving. Creative people dip into that state naturally and often.

This can be frustrating for those around them—partners, coworkers, even friends—who feel like they’re competing with an invisible parallel universe. But for the creative, those mental absences are where the best ideas are born.

So if your creative friend zones out mid-conversation, don’t take it personally. They might just be piecing together their next big insight.

4. They collect odd details no one else notices

Why do some people remember what brand of pen a stranger was using or how the light hit the sidewalk at exactly 4:13 p.m.?

For highly creative people, noticing unusual details isn’t random—it’s fuel.

When I was younger, I used to get teased for being “too observant.” I’d point out patterns in wallpaper, shapes in clouds, or how two conversations in a café overlapped like harmonies.

At the time, it seemed excessive. But later, I realized those micro-details often sparked bigger connections in my writing.

Creative people are natural noticers. They pick up textures, snippets, and fragments that others tune out. To outsiders, it can look obsessive or unnecessary. But to a creative, those tiny fragments can be the seed for a story, a painting, a melody, or a new way of looking at life.

It’s not about collecting trivia—it’s about building a library of raw material that will eventually find its place.

5. They need solitude more than most

Why do so many creative people retreat into solitude? It can seem antisocial or even selfish to those who don’t share that need.

But being alone isn’t about rejecting others—it’s about creating the conditions for deep work.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the psychologist who coined the term “flow,” found that creative breakthroughs often emerge in states of undisturbed focus.

To enter flow, distractions need to be minimized, and that often means shutting the door on the world for a while.

I’ll admit, there are times when I’ve turned down social plans—not because I didn’t want to see people, but because I knew I needed that quiet stretch to wrestle with an idea. And usually, when I emerge from that solitude, I come back with something worth sharing.

To outsiders, solitude looks like withdrawal. For creatives, it’s oxygen.

6. They play with ideas that sound absurd at first

Here’s a question: how many times have you heard a creative idea dismissed as “ridiculous” before it later became groundbreaking?

Creative people often give themselves permission to explore the absurd. They’re willing to ask “what if” questions that others would filter out immediately.

From the outside, it can sound like they’re wasting time on nonsense. From the inside, it’s about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Think about Salvador Dalí showing up to a lecture in a diving suit, or Nikola Tesla imagining wireless electricity before it was feasible. At the time, those ideas seemed eccentric. Today, we recognize them as genius.

Rudá Iandê puts it beautifully in his new book Laughing in the Face of Chaos: A Politically Incorrect Shamanic Guide for Modern Life:

“Reality is more flexible than you think — your beliefs literally shape what you experience; changing beliefs changes your world.”

That’s exactly what creatives do when they toy with “impossible” ideas. They loosen reality’s edges and play with the clay before anyone else dares to touch it.

The truth is, creativity requires a tolerance for looking foolish. Without testing the outrageous, you never find the ideas that change the game.

So the next time someone laughs at a creative’s weird suggestion, remember—it might just be the seed of something extraordinary.

7. They cycle between extremes of energy

Why do creative people seem to swing between unstoppable bursts of energy and complete exhaustion? To others, it looks erratic. To creatives, it’s simply how the process unfolds.

The brain uses a lot of energy during creative work. After an intense session of brainstorming or creating, it’s normal for creatives to crash.

I’ve experienced this firsthand. After finishing a long stretch of writing, I’ve gone from feeling electrified to needing an hour-long nap almost instantly.

At first, I thought it meant something was wrong with my stamina. But I realized it’s just the rhythm of creative work—expansion followed by recovery.

Outsiders may interpret the highs as manic and the lows as lazy. But within the creative cycle, both are necessary. The surges produce the ideas, and the dips allow the mind to reset for the next round.

Final thoughts

Highly creative people live in a world that doesn’t always make sense to everyone else. Their quirks—whether it’s talking to themselves, tolerating mess, zoning out, or chasing absurd ideas—can be misunderstood as strange or even problematic.

But those very quirks are often what make their ideas shine.

If you recognize yourself in these habits, take heart. Your weirdness is not a flaw—it’s part of the process. And if you love someone who operates this way, know that their eccentricities are the fuel behind the creativity you admire.

Creativity isn’t neat. It’s human, messy, and often misunderstood. But it’s also what gives the world its color, its progress, and its meaning.