Defining Imagination
Imagination is difficult to define. A lot of people believe that some people have no imagination whatsoever and other people have an abundance of it, but it could be that some people can just more clearly define what they are imagining, while others simply can’t put it into words.
People who are able to tap into their imaginations at will seem to be more creative and unpredictable. Those that don’t seem to have that ability are viewed as dull.
The truth is that we all have imaginations that can be cultivated. The big questions are, how do we do this and why would we want to?
Creativity and Imagination
As we’re pretty much all aware, there’s no such thing as an original idea. Creativity comes from combining disparate or unusual ideas together to develop something new. The ability to do this used to seem like the work of alchemists, but through the research and studies of neuroscientists, there are now techniques we can utilize to enhance our imaginations, creating new ways to solve problems more easily.
Stop Trying So Hard
The easiest way to start tapping into the power of your imagination is to sit back and relax!
Stress is a flow stopper. It constricts thought in much the same way it constricts muscles. Focus, while a coveted character trait, is a form of stress and can limit the connections between neurons and your brain’s synapses. So if you want to tap deeply into your imagination, you just find five quiet minutes and give yourself permission to let your mind wander. When that happens, your pathways open gates that open and allow new ideas to flow into your conscious mind.
Visualization’s Role in Imagination
One more factor in developing imagination is the ability to visualize possible outcomes or solutions. This occurs in a region of our brain called the, ‘posterior parietal cortex.’
This is where new characters take form, where you work out the punch of a joke, or figure out the best place to put a fan in your living room. In other words, if you have to make a strategic decision it happens in the posterior parietal cortex.
This is also where your declarative memories are stored which is why scientists tell us that that our brains can’t tell the difference between what’s real and what we’ve visualized in great detail.
This is why it’s important for us to develop our imaginations. It’s really a fundamental part of who we are, how we predict, problem solve and in general, how well we function on a daily basis.
