The Power of a Daydream

While I was in the military I read “The Power of Full Engagement” which really helped me hone some key skills to handle a greater workload and remain fresh and focused during long intense work sessions without a break. Since then I have learned a valuable lesson and I call it the power of disengagement. I have learned that true time away from the office and the noise of everyday life can really help you. I joke with my family that my best thinking is done on a plane. It tends to be the only time where for 3-5 hours I am 100% away from the phone and e-mail where I am forced to sit in a chair and do nothing but read and think. Business trips have become much more valuable to me due to this and I pray they don’t start putting Wi-Fi in airplanes where people can make phone calls as this one last place of solitude will be lost.

This article in the Wall Street Journal highlights the power being alone and lost in thought and how our greatest ideas come from being engrossed in the pleasure a day dream. Enjoy!

Comments

[John Dickinson - Team One Purpose!]

Robert,

"So far, no one knows why problems sometimes trigger an insight or what makes us more inclined to the Eureka experience at some moments but not at others."

Maybe this is code for "maybe people are spiritually guided by receiving the 'aha' moments."

I once heard of a theory that explained ideas and 'aha' moments. Ideas get trapped in the middle of a spiderweb with many individuals at the outer edges of the spiderweb sense its importance. All of these people receive the idea at approximately the same time. This is why sometimes you hear of a person come up with and idea, but they do not pursue it, only to find out later that some other person brought the idea to fruition.

I do not know if this is true or not, but it is interesting to see it play out in real life.

I agree that for everyone to maintain a personal competitive advantage, we all need time for reflection and quiet time.

Thanks for the thoughts!
John

[BCampau]

I agree. I'm not even as busy as a CEO but found I need to turn my phone off or intentionally get away from my laptop so I can step away and take a hard look at exactly what is going on in my life.