A study published in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills highlighted this particularity. By comparing the results of 96 left-handers and 96 right-handers on creativity tests, researchers found that left-handers performed better —especially women. Their ability to generate new ideas, imagine new solutions, and see the world differently was significantly enhanced .
But be careful, being left-handed doesn’t automatically transform you into an artistic genius! What science reveals is rather a potential conducive to divergent thinking: this ability to consider several paths where others see only one.
Adapting to a world designed for right-handers
While the brain plays a vital role, the environment is no exception. From school to everyday objects— scissors, can openers, school desks —the world is designed for right-handed people. Left-handers, from a very young age, must therefore be resourceful in overcoming challenges. The result? Their brain learns to innovate, find alternative ways, and create alternatives.
According to Katina Bajaj, a clinical psychologist interviewed by Business Insider , this need for constant adaptation activates a form of creative learning in them. Each daily challenge becomes a training ground for their imagination.
It’s a bit like a left-handed person having to reinvent every day how to tie their shoelaces, use a ruler, or cut out a piece of paper. A daily workout in creativity… without even realizing it.
A singularity to be valued
So, should we see left-handers as potential artists? Not necessarily. But their unique way of thinking, forged by a different brain organization and constant adaptation, gives them an original perspective on the world. A richness to cultivate, whether in the arts, sciences, or even entrepreneurship.
It is also an invitation, for each of us, to rethink our automatisms: what if we learned to use our brain “left-handed” , by taking less direct, but more inventive paths?
To remember:
Being left-handed isn’t just a physical characteristic. It’s a way of experiencing the world, thinking outside the box, and turning constraints into creative opportunities. A valuable lesson to ponder… no matter which hand you use to write.
