What is the importance of creativity? How does the last two million years of human evolution look when compressed into a single calendar year? Here’s a clue: humans discovered fire on November 19th and developed agriculture on December 29th. In this TedxTucson discussion, Dr. George Land of the Arizona Innovation Institute illustrates the phenomenal rate of change in contemporary society. But the speed of change leaves individuals, organizations, and whole societies struggling to cope.
The solution? Dr. Land’s research has shown that the most creative thinking occurs around the ages of four and five, when possibilities seem endless and restrictions are minimal. That creative thinking, however, diminishes gradually with age. By the time we reach adulthood, we’ve lost track of the five year old within. The good news is that the five year old brain hasn’t disappeared. Brains scans indicate that we use the smallest portion of our brain when operating in fear, more when we utilize logic, and the most when utilizing creative, divergent thought. And that kind of thinking generates ideas, possibilities, and options — something we need more than ever.
So, how can we get our five year old mind to serve our adult world?
