Children have a knack for asking strange and thought-provoking questions. While some of these questions may seem nonsensical to adults, they can spark a unique train of thought. As we grow older, our minds become preoccupied with the practicalities of life, leaving little room for such questions.
But what if we took a minute or two to think about these quirky questions? Would our thoughts be like a child’s? Probably not. Our perspective changes as we get older, and our thinking becomes more rooted in logic than imagination. But there is value in thinking outside the box, in embracing nonsensical thinking and imagination. It doesn’t have to permeate every aspect of our lives, but we can allow ourselves to approach certain issues with the basics and bright colours that a child would. I’m not saying we lack imagination as adults, but it’s obvious that we don’t always use our creativity when it comes to seemingly obvious things. We often dismiss it as unnecessary.
Imagination is essential. Nonsensical thinking is essential. We don’t have to become children again. Growing up also has its advantages, because we can cultivate both logic and imagination. This duality adds a new dimension to our thinking, different from that of children.
Years ago, I shared the same concern that I was losing my imagination because I wasn’t creating any fiction or unique ideas in my head. To remedy this, I decided to write down some silly thoughts. This was amusing as I had never done this before. I decided to write down my thoughts and ideas in my notebook. I enjoyed the experience and continued writing for almost a month. Some thoughts were serious, legitimate or made sense, while others were funny, unexpected, strange, stupid or nonsensical.
And you know what? I didn’t mind at all. It was a fun experiment for myself, a way to stimulate my imagination and expand my thinking. These were the thoughts and ideas that occasionally crossed my mind, but I didn’t bother to share them with others. I did, however, share them with my notebook and sometimes with my friends. Today, I find myself in a similar position and feel rejuvenated when I write down every aspect of my main idea and discuss it with my friend. It helps me broaden my perspective by taking the time to share my thoughts, allowing me to see my mistakes or strengthen my stance on certain issues.
To do this, I would think or search for a topic I wanted to explore and then jot down at least 5–10 thoughts on it. I won’t lie, it wasn’t always easy. In fact, I would definitely recommend that you try it. You might be surprised at what you come up with. You might be wondering what kind of thoughts and ideas I’m talking about. Well, for me some of them were like this:
As an avid reader of science fiction and fascinated by technological advances, I started thinking about new futuristic technology ideas. For example, what if trees could provide a wireless network connection, like the internet? What if there were books with magnetic pages that could be rearranged to create a completely different story? Even as I remember and write these down, I find them useful, as if I’m making notes for a potential fictional story element. Sometimes I wrote about things I just enjoyed. One example was creating new flavours of ice cream — what would they taste like? As you can see, it is at moments like this that the imagination takes flight.
Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
If you think that researching, reading and writing are unnecessary tasks in your daily life, think again. Research expands your knowledge of a subject, reading enriches your vocabulary and broadens your horizons, and writing allows you to express yourself through these efforts. When you combine all of these and infuse your words with imagination, you can witness the power of your thinking. Who knows, in your ideas you may have already predicted the future, come up with an investment opportunity, found a better way to do your job, or set the stage for something great in your life.
Don’t let fear of other people’s judgement get in the way of your creativity. Create for yourself without seeking validation or approval.
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