The Creative Brain

I pick up this book by Nancy Andreasen in the airport. The interesting part(at least) to me is the last chapter on Building Better Brains. It contains "life changing exercises for your brain". I was intrigue by the claims.

The recommendations are as follows:

1. Choose a New and Unfamiliar Area of Knowledge and Explore It in Depth

One of the best way to think creatively is to tackle a new field that you know little or nothing about. So if you are a computer science graduate, take up biology. If you spend your life in the business world, try learning about geography, earth science or oceanography. If you have longed to learn to play the piano and have had no training in music, start doing it. Just choose something that is quite different form your current interests or occupation.

2. Spend Some Time Each Day Practicing Meditation or "Just Thinking"

"Just thinking" in a free and uncensored way. Just let your thoughts flow. Meditating is focusing your mind on one thing or emptying your mind which is to focus on nothing.

3. Practice Observing and Describing

The goal is to look intently and in detail so that you observe aspects that you would not normally notice.

4. Practice Imagining

The human brain's capacity for imagining is another resource for creativity. According to Lobsang Rampa, imagination always win over willpower or control.

For Tots(kids)

a. Switch off TV
b. Read Together, Interactively
c. Emphasize Diversity
d. Ask Interesting Questions
e. Go Outdoors and Look at the Natural World
f. Get Them Interested in Music

These are all commonsense suggestions. It can be also challenging in Singapore context. We are living in a highrise city. Everything is man-made. Grant we are a garden city. Nature for us is a manicured lawn and shady trees. Our nature reserves like Macritchie or Pierce Reservoir gets boring very quickly. It seem like tv and computer games can hold my kids attention much better than nature. Good thing is B1 and B3 is interested in music.

As for myself, I used to think a lot. Recent changes in my job and my team has keep me busy with a lot of tasks. Also I have to do a lot of business with internal department. This is taking a toll on our team's performance. We are still growing well but not like before. Thinking is an important part of my job. Figuring out all the different scenarios, possibilities and then deciding which path we take for the business.

I like the Creative Brain as the approach is commonsense and easy to understand. However, as Mark Twain puts it "Commonsense is not so Common."