Research at INSEAD has demonstrated that travel abroad can directly relate to improving creativity.

If you don’t want to watch the whole video, here’s a fast summary of what William Maddux, professor of organizational behavior at INSEAD, has to say:

• If you live abroad, you score higher on tests meant to measure creativity and problem solving.
• The longer you live abroad, the better you score — the more creative you are. We’re talking about more than a weekend in another country.
• Studies have tested if there’s a relationship between being willing to live abroad and already being creative.
• There is an increase in creativity over and above beyond that which seems to be standard for those people simply willing to take the risks of living abroad.
• Needing to adapt to new circumstances seems to increase the growth of creativity. New languages, new situations and new cultures all help.
• The earlier (or younger) you go abroad, the more extensive the affects on your creativity.
• A related study shows that entrepreneurs who go abroad also do better.
• If you aren’t able to travel, you can still build your creativity by interacting with other cultures at home.

Maddux is careful to describe the study’s results in terms of research that still needs to be conducted. He also points out that culture and travel is only one element of creativity and that if you go abroad, it’s still possible to limit your exposure to new situations. In general, though, Maddux’s able to point to examples and other research that supports his point.

What Does This Mean?

Travel is more than something we do because we happen to want to see a few sites. The more you can travel, the more you can improve your chances in business as well as in creative efforts. A trip abroad isn’t a guaranteed ticket to creative or entrepreneurial abilities, but it can definitely help.

All things considered, a few months in another country is a pretty easy way to improve our creativity levels.