It’s time to let out a secret. The cognitive processes that we generally regard as “creativity” or “imagination” have long been seen as a single type of brain function that is separate from other types of activity. The prevailing notion is that you either have it or you don’t; i.e., you’re born with “creative” abilities or you aren’t. However, recent studies suggest that this view is incorrect.
We all have it
It turns out that “creativity” is not a unique function in and of itself, but is actually comprised of a range of cognitive powers that are suited to address particular types of problems, and can be “turned on” in specific ways by almost anyone. In other words, creativity isn’t a genetic trait or a divine blessing—it’s a function that’s hardwired in all of us.
Expertise not required
In his book Imagine: How Creativity Works, neuroscientist Jonah Lehrer discusses the various paths we take to arrive at innovative ideas as well as surprising “launchpads” to better problem-solving. A significant point made by Lehrer is the fact that major breakthroughs are often the result of input from outsiders or people with little to no in-depth knowledge of the situation at hand. Making linkages across distant fields and experiences outside of our areas of expertise are often critical to brilliant new insights within those areas.
Randomness can lead to brilliance
The following is a famous example of how random events can be tied together through a moment of insight to give birth to one of today’s most widely used products. In 1974, Arthur Fry, an engineer at 3M, attended a presentation by another engineer who had developed a very weak glue. Like everyone around him, Mr. Fry couldn’t see any practical use for the unsticky stuff. But, one Sunday morning, the answer came to him.
Mr. Fry, who sang in his church’s choir, often marked songs in his hymnal with bits of paper. He was often frustrated by the tendency of the paper to fall out, forcing him to scramble to find the right page. But, during the sermon, Mr Fry had a brain flash: What if that glue was applied to the bits of paper to create a reusable bookmark? It was sticky enough to keep the paper attached to the hymnal page, but not so much that it would tear the page when removed. You guessed it: Mr. Fry’s insight resulted in the Post-it Note.
What’s happening in there
Scientists have studied what happens in the brain during these flashes of insight. When giving test subjects puzzles and brain-teasers, they’ve identified, in the moments before an answer arrives, an area in the brain that exhibits a sharp spike in activity. It turns out that this area is especially proficient at making connections between distantly related information—the exact process that’s needed for developing breakthrough ideas.
Interestingly, it’s been found that certain unexpected conditions enhance the brain’s ability to arrive at a solution. For example, humor seems to help—test subjects scored higher when exposed to a comedy video beforehand. And, in a finding that will undoubtedly bring joy to many, alcohol seemed to improve results as well, with drunk test subjects actually scoring significantly higher than sober ones on insight tests!
What these findings reveal is that we can be more creative when we aren’t paying attention to the task at had, so to speak. By allowing ourselves to be distracted, we are in a more relaxed state that allows the random associations in our brain to wander more freely amongst each other, increasing the odds of arriving at new insights.
More experiences leads to more potential
Another way to increase the odds of making meaningful cognitive connections is to have more things in your brain to link with. The late Steve Jobs argued that the greatest inventors and minds seek out diverse experiences with which to build their bank of material that they can draw upon later. He believed that this type of exposure was superior to narrow specialization when it came to innovation.
Conclusion
By being comfortable in our naivete or unfamiliarity about a particular task or problem, we are actually in an advantageous position for making a breakthrough discovery. We can ask the questions that the “experts” wouldn’t ask—or even think to ask—and approach the challenge unencumbered by boundaries or limitations. No matter who you are, you have untapped creativity that can impact your business or community.