Most of us function from our left brains: logical and linear. We think through problems, make lists of pros and cons, examine alternatives, and weigh the possible consequences. Very often this process does not provide us with satisfactory answers. So we toss and turn at night and obsess during the day, not knowing what to do.
Then, out of the blue, at an odd time, in a strange place, out of context, while doing something totally irrelevant, come the solutions. What happened? Our right brain, intuitive and holistic, took over.
Most of us have had this experience of finally figuring out something after we stopped working at it. Is there a way to make this type of insight, which happens outside of our control, more accessible?
When we talk about our unconscious, we often also mean our intuition. Women talk about intuition or listening to their instincts, men talk about having a nose for something or following a hunch. We are all talking about the same thing: listening to our gut reactions.
What do we mean when we say: “this just feels right to me”? It is the difference between knowledge and knowing. “Knowledge” is fact, painstakingly learned through study, listening, and observation. “Knowing” is a private experience that often cannot be explained to others, it is our intuition. Our minds process a huge amount of information that we are only dimly aware of, and sometimes, that information is the key to solving a problem.
I believe that we can train our unconscious mind to take over when our conscious mind has given up trying. The following strategies are worth trying.
1. At the end of the day, either upon leaving your office or before going to sleep, jot down the problem you’re dealing with using a few, key words, then forget about it.
2. Think of the problem just before starting a non-work-related activity.
3. Move your body: Studies at Purdue University show that any form of physical exercise seems to activate creativity.
4. Think of three people whose problem-solving ability you respect and put yourself in their shoes, how would they look at the problem. (If I were “X,” I would…)
5. Pretend you are the problem; how would you resolve your dilemma? Don’t be afraid to write down the silliest and most outrageous thoughts that come to mind.
6. Make room for the expression of feelings: I am excited, I am fearful…. Gut feelings are data too. This is the creative part.
7. Talk to people outside your field. Some surprisingly new ways of looking at the problem may occur to them, and explaining it to others may help you see things more clearly as well.
Over all, stay in touch with your unconscious by allowing your mind to wander where it will. Daydreaming is an important part of the creative process. Your right brain may know the correct path to take, even if it seems circuitous to your left brain. As a fleeting thought passes by, capture it by writing it down right away. It is disconcerting how quickly it disappears, and you sit there wondering: “What was that I just had a flash about?” Later you can look over all your notes using your left brain to analyze the ideas.
I wrote the following poem about our two brains.
Right Brain/Left Brain
While the right hand
adds numbers
the left one is doodling
While the right arm
lifts weights
the left one is hugging
While the right foot
walks the narrow path
the left one dances a jig
While the right eye
is looking
the left one is seeing
While the right ear
is listening
the left one is hearing
While the left brain
is studying
the right one just “knows”
As you see, it is important to sometimes let go of control so that you can regain it by going through the back door, or perhaps it is through a window or even down the chimney.
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