The 4 Stages Of Creativity - A Pixar Story

Hey Creative,

Let me tell you a story.

In 2007, Pixar released Ratatouille. It became one of their most beloved films. But behind the scenes, it was nearly scrapped—twice.

The first version didn’t work. The story felt flat. The lead character wasn’t likeable. It didn’t feel… right.

So the team went back to the drawing board.

They reworked the plot, reframed the emotional arc, and rebuilt everything around one powerful idea:

“Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.”

That revision became the film we know today.

What happened here is what happens in almost every successful creative process.

Pixar didn’t just get lucky—they moved through all four stages of creativity, a process first outlined by psychologist Graham Wallas in 1926. Most creatives never make it past Stage 2.

But once you understand the full arc, you can stop panicking when things feel stuck—and start trusting the process.

And to make it stick, think of it like cooking.

(Not just because this is Ratatouille—but because making creative work is a lot like making a great dish.)

Here they are:

The Deep Dive

The 4 Stages of Creativity

Graham Wallas - The Art of Thought

Stage 1: Preparation — Lay Out the Ingredients

Every creative project begins with raw material.

For Pixar, it started with sketches of rats in kitchens. Research trips to Paris. Interviews with chefs. Notes about ego, criticism, and belonging. Nothing was finished. But everything was on the table.

This is the preparation phase. You gather inputs. Follow your curiosity. Let ideas pile up without demanding they fit together yet.

It’s like cooking: you lay out your ingredients before you start the meal. Chop the onions. Slice the garlic. You don’t know exactly how it will come together. But you’re preparing the ground.

Creative work begins the same way.

Key mindset: Collect ingredients first. You’ll figure out the recipe later.

Stage 2: Incubation — Let It Simmer

The second stage is quiet. Nothing seems to be happening. But something is.

Pixar’s early version of Ratatouille didn’t work. So they paused. Reconsidered. Let the material breathe.

This is incubation. It’s when you set the draft aside. Let the idea simmer. Like a writer who puts a scene in a drawer for a year—not because it’s bad, but because it’s not ready.

We think progress only happens when we’re typing. But often, the work continues without us. Your brain is connecting dots you can’t see yet.

Key mindset: Not every breakthrough comes from effort. Some come from space.

Stage 3: Illumination — The Spark Arrives

The breakthrough usually shows up after you’ve stopped trying.

In the shower. On a walk. Half-asleep.

That’s illumination. Scientists call this the “aha” moment. Eureka! When an idea clicks into place because your brain has been quietly assembling it.

Brad Bird’s version of Ratatouille had that moment:

“It’s not just about a rat who cooks. It’s about greatness coming from anywhere.”

Suddenly, the ingredients made sense. The film had a center.

This is how most insights arrive. After time, to cook. Like when all of the juices release in the meal and the fusion of flavours takes on a new taste.

Key mindset: Trust the spark will come—but only if you’ve made space for it.

Stage 4: Verification — Test Before You Serve

Here’s where most people miss.

You get an idea. You polish it. Then you hide it until it’s perfect. And then—only then—you release it.

But the smartest creators test early. And often.

Pixar calls it the Braintrust: a room of people not working on the film who watch early cuts and give honest, sometimes brutal feedback. They don’t solve the problems for you—they help you see them.

James Clear committed to publishing every Monday and Thursday for 3 years, before he got a book deal for Atomic Habits. He often talks about worrying no one would want to read his blog. His book is the best selling non-fiction book every year and he built his ideas through sharing them early.

Great work is refined through testing.

Just like a chef tastes a sauce before it’s plated. You don’t wait until dinner’s served to find out it needs salt.

Key mindset: Get feedback early. Don’t protect your work—show it fast.

How to apply the 4 Stages of Creativity

Use this process on any project—writing, designing, directing, or building. Each stage has a function. Here’s what to do in each one.

1. Preparation – Gather and Stack

• Collect 5–10 pieces of raw inspiration (images, quotes, ideas, references)

• Write 3 quick fragments (lines, phrases, scenes, metaphors—whatever comes)

• Create a project folder or notebook to keep everything in one place

2. Incubation – Stir the Pot

• Re-visit your fragments or notes without editing—just observe

• Talk about the idea out loud to someone who won’t try to “fix it”

• Make a messy sketch or mind map to expand, remix, or flip an idea

3. Illumination – Catch the Spark

• Keep a “lightbulb log” to capture spontaneous ideas

• Change your environment—walk, shower, stretch, clean—create mental space

• Follow the feeling when something clicks—write or sketch it immediately

4. Verification – Taste and Test

• Share a rough version with 1–2 people and ask: What’s clear? What’s confusing?

• Post a snippet or soft-launch a part of the work to gauge reaction

• Create a short checklist: Is the message clear? Does it land? Is it ready to serve?

Most people judge themselves too early.

They expect Stage 1 to feel like Stage 3. They panic in Stage 2. They forget that even the best ideas need shaping in Stage 4.

But once you know your way around the kitchen, you stop getting lost.

So next time you feel stuck, remember:

The stuck-ness is part of the process.

Stay in it.

Keep Creating.