Daydreaming, Flickr Image
What one ingredient does it take to hit the ball out of the park – not once in a while but time after time? What does it take to be the world’s best chess master? To play at Carnegie Hall? To write an epic novel?
If you said talent, guess again.
A high IQ? Wrong again. As scientist E.O. Wilson once put it, “If your IQ is 160, join Mensa or work for the IRS. Otherwise, just work hard.”
According to recent studies, the real secret to creative success is grit: the willingness to show up day after day, month after month, and practice.
By itself, that doesn’t sound like such good news. Fortunately, there’s a companion to being a winner that’s more fun: Daydreaming. For those of us who grew up lying on summer grass and staring at the clouds, that’s a comforting thought.
Why does daydreaming work? It seems those of us who daydream instead of trying to focus are more likely to generate ideas.
We’re more productive when we can just stop and think for a while, or browse the Net – which means if you’re reading this at work you can stop feeling guilty.
Other studies show that those of us who have more trouble screening out ambient music or the hum of an air conditioner are more likely to have brainstorms.
Nobody is quite sure why this is so.
Perhaps people who aren’t trying to focus are less likely to dismiss thoughts that seem irrelevant right now but could inspire a breakthrough later. Then, too, when we don’t know where to look, we look everywhere.
Psychologists estimate that we daydream for one-third to one-half of our waking hours, even though a single daydream lasts only a few minutes.
Daydreaming is usually pleasant. It helps the brain consolidate learning and solve problems, just as nighttime dreaming does.
But perhaps the best reason of all to daydream? In a daydream, anything is possible.
Beautiful post Jean!
Daydreaming — I love to daydream, have done it since childhood and credit it for my endless stream of ideas.
Sad part, we’ve been trying to eradicate it so kids can “learn” more in seats. Frankly, I’m not sure these education type czars understand the true nature of learning. Keep getting it confused with memorizing and getting high scores on artificial tests — two completely different things.
This would make a good book title!
G.
Thanks Giulietta,
And in addition to the pressures of school, there’s the endless parade of parents driving their kids all over town on weekends for games, lessons and play dates. It makes me sad for all the daydreaming time and time alone they’ll never have.
I love that. “In a daydream, anything is possible.” Talk about Fun + Profound + Powerful all rolled into one. And it’s so easy. And pleasant.
Eeee, thanks for sharing that info about the people who find it hard to screen out background noise also being people more prone to brainstorms. I’m both, but I did not have any acceptance (or know of any good reason) for the first part till I read this. I find it a struggle, for instance, to write or think creatively in coffee houses because of the constant blabbing going on around me, combined with the musak being played (for me) way too loud. (Add to that the nuisance of earworms from songs I don’t like, and it all drives me NUTS!) But I love writing in coffee houses, so I started taking my headphones. But I only ever play ocean noises if I’m trying to do something creative.
Unlike the clunk and mechanic hum of central heating and air conditioning, the sound of waves breaking soothes me. After a minute or two I don’t even notice it as I’m diving deep within myself to commune with ideas, wisdom and other good stuff. I also use my headphones when I want to write in the living room while my husband is watching TV. There’s no way I can tune out the blah-blah-blah from the TV of my own accord (including all the flashing lights they use these days to bombard you with the information subliminally).
Thank you for adding more self-acceptance to my day!
~ Milli
Thanks, Milli! I hadn’t seen your site before, so I’m glad to know about it. I’m with you with respect to coffee houses — and most other kinds of multi-tasking. I’ve always thought it was a generational thing, but maybe not.
Jean