If there is one thing we humans have, it is imagination. We dream of winning the Christmas Lottery, of being the lucky winner of that “Euromillion” draw , which by the way is becoming more difficult every day. We imagine what our life will be like in a few years, although there are more dangerous people who imagine the life of others more than their own.
Imagination is clever because it can mix real images with those we consider ideal. When we imagine, we manipulate the information in our memory, converting elements of reminiscence into a new reality, even a parallel reality…
It never hurts to imagine. It is one of the few things we have left for free (like smiling). Something wonderful happens in the phenomenon of imagination; no matter how much we explain what we are visualizing, no one will be able to imagine the same thing that we have in our mind.
Imagination allows us, although it may seem otherwise, to better understand reality.
Edward de Bono , in his work (which I recommend) “New Think: The Use of Lateral Thinking” (1967), spoke of “lateral thinking” . He explained how through imagination, in a totally list of telegram users in italy indirect way, one could reach effective problem solving. He argued that lateral thinking organized thoughts and their processes to seek unorthodox solutions… Solutions that would go unnoticed in the logical thinking with which we always work.
And there is no better way to try to get to the bottom of a problem or issue than to “go out onto the balcony” . To see the difficulties from other angles. To show that we tend to make the problems bigger ourselves. This is precisely what “lateral thinking” does ; it manages to generate ideas or alternatives that are far from the pattern of thinking that we normally use.
Let your imagination run wild… We should “tattoo” this phrase on the bathroom mirror.
But we have to let it fly, trying to find out where it leads us. We have to try to use our imagination not only to dream about that difficult “Euromillion” . We should use it for work, personal, family problems…
Children are my idols in this regard . They imagine they are warriors, heroes, princesses… They recreate epic battles with a lollipop stick, a kraft paper bag and a BIC pen cap. Why do we lose our imagination as we grow up? Simply because with age we become more rational. We are entering a world where things are like that because that is how we have found them. A world where we have not only stopped imagining, but we have also stopped asking questions…
Note how important imagination is, it protects even the weakest. Did any of you have an imaginary friend when you were little? Those who answered yes should know that 5% of them had one out of boredom, and 95% because they needed protection and indirect company.