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Slow down to go faster!
by Shalu Wasu Filed under Creativity, Effectiveness, Life Skills, Power of the mind, Problem Solving
Sometimes, it is not the circumstances, but our own mind which pushes us to come up with a solution quickly. Our mind is rushed perhaps because it is lazy (or efficient!). It wants to stop working as quickly as possible or maybe because it wants to reestablish the feeling of being effective and in control as quickly as possible. It wants us to choose the first good option. It wants to take decisions quickly.
Being patient allows us to use our unconscious mind’s resources in a better way.
In a research done by Milton Rokeach, it was shown that many people’s creativity was enhanced when they were asked to slow down. When they were prevented from delivering their first answer to a problem, they usually came up with a better answer later.
So the lesson is, when we are not clear, delay the decision and enjoy the options that will seemingly start popping out from nowhere!
In another interesting study by Daniel Goleman, 4-year-old children were left alone in a room (one at a time) with a candy for about 10 minutes. They were told that if they did not eat the candy while they were alone, they will be given 2 pieces of the candy later. In a follow up done many years later, the children who were able to resist temptation in this exercise scored higher on intelligence tests, were emotionally more stable, had better relationships!
Even though our culture today encourages instant gratification, practicing the ability to wait has its own benefits.
• Being comfortable without an instant solution makes the mind welcoming and spacious, taking away the feeling of strain and urgency.
• Accept that there will be times when you will not be able to solve a problem by trying to solve it. Sow the seed in your mind and let your subconscious mind work on it for some time.
• Let the ideas percolate to the top on their own.
The voices of intuition, hunches and insights are at most times not too strong. By being patient, we allow ourselves the best chance to be able to hear these voices which may have valuable ideas.
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Shalu Wasu is a creativity consultant and trainer based in Singapore apart from being guest faculty at select institutes. To attend his one-day open programme on creativity on 15th January, 2009 at NUS, Singapore, please visit www.lifeahoy.sg or contact shalu@lifeahoy.sg.
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In my opion,the person which is creative or not is much depending the ex-experience he or she has,then the circumstances,you can see why the kindgarden teacher’s so creative,whether they can always find the solution for all kinds of industry,obeviously they cannot,but they are creative.
For me,I think I am a creative person,but I cannot find the finance solution for any other industry,because I have no idea of the finance problem is.If after I run into this industy,I think my brain will bring me lots of ideas than others.
Do you agree?
I agree! I also feel that the ability to come up with ideas does not completely depend upon the experience or knowledge in a subject area. Sometimes the diversity of experience and the ability to connect seemingly unrealted areas also results in a large no. of ideas
cheers
shalu
Im glad to find another person who also values the creative mind,waiting is also a spiritual concept as I see it, it doesnt mean prcastination but it mean internalisation.This is something that I run in my creativity workshops as well and it has helped a lot of hassled executives think through each plot
Interesting viewpoint and presumably very effective too….unknowingly had done it a number of times and found out that not only is problem solving smoother, it helps improve the “thought” faculty also and does not stress one much…that makes it hitting (not killing!!) two birds with one stone !
And being in the Sales function…this means practising and implementing it..more often!