One of the most impactful experiences for anyone who dedicates part of their time to solving problems, whether on a personal or professional level, is that of insight, also called the “eureka moment” because it is the expression that Archimedes used when he discovered his famous principle.
This psychological phenomenon occurs when we suddenly and unexpectedly find the long-sought solution to a challenge It generally happens at a time when you are not working on that search, or at least not consciously. Its appearance is usually accompanied by intense mental activation, and even euphoria, as well as a pleasant and relaxing physical sensation. Furthermore, the solutions found are usually of high quality, which further reinforces the sensations already described.
However, this highly desired phenomenon cannot be generated at will, something that would be very useful on a daily basis. Insights emerge or they don’t, and you never know when, or even if, they will finally emerge. Yes, we can, however, block it voluntarily; It is enough to actively look for it so that it never occurs. So how can we take advantage of it to solve our challenges?
The paradox in the functioning of insight, the fact that trying to reach it directly leads us to be cognitively blocked, It has a lot to do with how our brain processes information Basically, and to use a simple analogy, it is like a computer; We can use it linearly, that is, using one application at a time and then another, or we can open many simultaneous applications and have all of them work simultaneously.
If we talk about the brain, we can use it to think logically about an issue that in turn leads us to another related idea and so on, until we find the solution to the problem we are trying to solve, or we can use it in parallel, where all the problems that we are trying to solve are addressed at the same time, and combinations are explored that, a priori, would not make any sense
As happens on a computer, if we open a very complex application that consumes many resources, those available for the rest of the applications are reduced; The system slows down, and sometimes even crashes. But if we work with many light applications, all of them will be able to work in parallel to achieve their own objectives.
Logical and conscious thinking consumes a lot of resources, which implies that the rest of the processes are left without them. On the other hand, if we release all those resources that logic and consciousness consume, they become available for the rest of the mental processes and, curiously, all of them begin to work in parallel.
How to promote the emergence of insight?
When we are children, we all come from the factory with the innate ability to work in parallel mode (those blank moments with a lost gaze beyond the blackboard) but, in our attempt to develop our capacity for concentration and linear thinking, , the educational process usually reinforces the latter to the detriment of the parallel mode which is frowned upon (being in the dark), thus generating habits that we are no longer able to deactivate later.
In this way, most of the time our brain works in a linear way, using a large amount of resources and limiting the options and possibilities that we should explore to find original solutions to the challenges we face.
That said, the key to boosting insights and maximizing the chances of it happening is in re-learn how to re-enter that “forgotten” parallel mode of thinking
To help us in this task, techniques such as contemplation (commonly “getting lost”) or meditation are very useful tools, because they help us re-educate the way we think. we shift the focus of our conscious attention and how we open or close the breadth of that focus more effectively.
However, like any biological process, the continued practice of these techniques gradually enhances their effectiveness, eventually becoming able to voluntarily modulate the moment and depth at which we enter this form of parallel processing.
Behind this simple explanation, however, there are a large number of neural mechanisms that are currently being investigated very intensively in research centers around the world. Getting to know them is an exciting process that also brings many benefits both personally and professionally.
