“In racing, success depends on preparation, reflection, learning, and confidence in executing. You Are Creative will help you leverage creativity to perform better, solve problems more effectively, and stay competitive in your field.”
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In You Are Creative, engineer-turned-surgeon-turned-sculptor Emilio DiIorio invites readers behind the scenes of his own experiments, detours, and hard-won lessons. The result is a grounded, story-rich guide to creativity as a lived practice that replaces hype with experience and helps you create on purpose—no matter your job title.
At the heart of the book is a practical, five-stage creative process—Preparation, Incubation, Insight, Evaluation, Implementation—to give you the confidence and structure to build things that matter and find more meaning in the making.
Praise
Mario Andretti
World Champion Race Car Driver
“Dr. Emilio DiIorio is a rare kind of leader. His book, You Are Creative lays out a clear, experience-based framework for aligning your talents with service—and creating impact that extends well beyond yourself. I’m all in on every page of this book.”
Tony Iannelli
President and CEO, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
“Emilio DiIorio brings clarity and humanity to the creative process. His 5-part framework—preparation, incubation, insight, evaluation, and implementation—offers a roadmap for how creativity can be practiced. The discipline, self-motivation, and above all, the persistence to make the incredible happen.”
Peter Maier
Fine Artist and Former Senior Exterior Automobile Designer for Cadillac, Pontiac, and Chevrolet Motor Divisions, General Motors Corporation
“Dr. Emilio DiIorio dismantles the myth that creativity is innate, offering actionable steps to foster innovation. Drawing on anecdotes from his own distinguished career and insights from across industries, the book serves as a practical roadmap for anyone ready to cultivate meaningful breakthroughs.”
Jimmy Chang
Chief Investment Officer, Rockefeller Global Family Office
“Emilio DiIorio dismantles the persistent myth of creativity as a sudden epiphany and replaces it with something far more empowering: a practice anyone can cultivate.”
Dr. William B. Crow
Director of Lehigh University Art Galleries, inaugural Educator-in-Charge of Teaching and Learning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
“Drawing from his remarkable journey through engineering, medicine, entrepreneurship, and the arts, DiIorio offers a compelling five-stage framework that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply human.”
Robert A. Flowers II
PhD, Herbert J. and Ann L. Siegel Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Lehigh University
“In racing, success depends on preparation, reflection, learning, and confidence in executing. You Are Creative will help you leverage creativity to perform better, solve problems more effectively, and stay competitive in your field.”
Mario Andretti
World Champion Race Car Driver
“Dr. Emilio DiIorio is a rare kind of leader. His book, You Are Creative lays out a clear, experience-based framework for aligning your talents with service—and creating impact that extends well beyond yourself. I’m all in on every page of this book.”
Tony Iannelli
President and CEO, Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
“Emilio DiIorio brings clarity and humanity to the creative process. His 5-part framework—preparation, incubation, insight, evaluation, and implementation—offers a roadmap for how creativity can be practiced. The discipline, self-motivation, and above all, the persistence to make the incredible happen.”
Peter Maier
Fine Artist and Former Senior Exterior Automobile Designer for Cadillac, Pontiac, and Chevrolet Motor Divisions, General Motors Corporation
“Dr. Emilio DiIorio dismantles the myth that creativity is innate, offering actionable steps to foster innovation. Drawing on anecdotes from his own distinguished career and insights from across industries, the book serves as a practical roadmap for anyone ready to cultivate meaningful breakthroughs.”
Jimmy Chang
Chief Investment Officer, Rockefeller Global Family Office
“Emilio DiIorio dismantles the persistent myth of creativity as a sudden epiphany and replaces it with something far more empowering: a practice anyone can cultivate.”
Dr. William B. Crow
Director of Lehigh University Art Galleries, inaugural Educator-in-Charge of Teaching and Learning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
“Drawing from his remarkable journey through engineering, medicine, entrepreneurship, and the arts, DiIorio offers a compelling five-stage framework that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply human.”
Robert A. Flowers II
PhD, Herbert J. and Ann L. Siegel Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Lehigh University
The creative process isn’t linear.
Embrace the cycle and watch what becomes possible.
Preparation
Incubation
Implementation
Evaluation
Insight
The Goal
Give your mind time and space to process.
How Do You Do It?
- Let your subconscious work
- Trust the process
- Allow connections to form
The Mindset
A Learner
- Humility and openness
- Commitment and devotion
- Patience and grit
- Alignment with something greater
The Goal
Gather the information, skills, and experience you need.
How Do You Do It?
- Identify a need or problem
- Acquire knowledge directly
- Gather seemingly unrelated information
The Mindset
A Voyager
- Surrender
- Flexibility
- Appreciation
The Goal
Produce a large volume of ideas and develop relationships between them.
How Do You Do It?
- Divergent thinking
- Convergent thinking
- Lateral thinking
- Aesthetic thinking
- Inspirational thinking
The Mindset
A Thinker
- Curiosity
- Courage
- Perspicacious
- Open Mindedness
The Goal
Choose which ideas to discard and which to keep.
How Do You Do It?
- Connect and combine ideas
- Choose the best combination of ideas
The Mindset
An Analyst
- Curiosity without judgment
- Curiosity with patience
- Playfulness
- Persistence
The Goal
Make the idea real and put it out there for others.
How Do You Do It?
- Practice thinkering, thinking with your hands
- Don’t rush
- Gather feedback
The Mindset
A Builder
- Hard work
- Enthusiasm
- Focus
- Humor
The Five-Stage
Creative
Process
01 Preparation
02 Incubation
03 Insight
04 Evaluation
05 Implementation
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You Are More Creative Than You Think
Start with a free chapter of You Are Creative, then receive five practical lessons to help you build confidence, solve problems, and create with purpose.
