Postponing leads to creativity

The human mind is amazing and stupid at the same time. On the one hand it has the capacity to process and connect information without conscious thought. Often this is the basis for creativity. On the other hand, our mind seems to be unable to cope with unsolved problems and unexecuted tasks. Because of which we often do not give ourselves the time to actually use our beautiful minds. This amazing, creative mind, is most active while sleeping, resting or sporting, according to science. 

I myself can become restless from unsolved problems. And Sophie and I have often seen this restlessness with others during our work as assessment advisors. This is often labelled as the competence solutionfocus. To me, the question where solution-focus originates is crucial. Does it really originates from creativity? Or does it originate from the uncomfortable feeling that comes with (unsolved) problems? 

We recently had an interesting case at Fresh Habits. We had the chance to make an offer for an assignment. There was time pressure from the clients side, we were enthusiastic and we quickly came with an answer to the clients’ question. We made a good offer, yet at the same time I had a gut feeling that I better idea would pop-up.  

We knew we weren’t the only ones making an offer. So we send out the offer before the deadline and unfortunately didn’t win the assignment. A few days later, while showering, I was not thinking about the lost assignment and all of a sudden a new solution popped up in my head and it hit the core of the clients’ question. In all modesty I am confident that we would have gotten the assignment with this approach. However, we made a mistake: We did not create the time for ourselves to let our minds, our creativity, function.  

The lesson we learned? Is to more often ask for more time. To not wanting to answer a question immediately, but instead to trust our minds. So from now on you’ll be hearing us say ‘Can we get back to you on this at X time?”. This might be something to get used to, both for us and our collocutors, but we trust that it will benefit the quality of our work!  

Something for you to think about: Do you consciously differentiate between solutions that arise out of restlessness or creativity? Do you dare to trust your (subconscious) mind? Do you currently ask your boss or colleague(s) for more time? Become aware, ask more time and give yourself the time – a few days or even a week – for things to ‘click’! 

Albert Einstein clearly already knew this, he said: “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer”.  

Einstein

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