This paper seeks to clarify the ego psychology of creativity. The major thesis is that there are intimate connections among work, depression, and creativity, expressed as: creativity represents the ability to work and depression, the inability to work. The essential role in creativity of the capacity to work has hitherto been overlooked or at best underplayed. Ideally, the creative cycle is one in which healthy narcissism leads to achievement which then leads to further narcissistic gratification which then leads to more achievement. After enough external reinforcement in childhood this cycle becomes self-reinforcing. Various aspects of this major thesis are considered in detail.
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