We learn as we grow up to filter our thoughts. Once we become adults, we get so good at filtering that it becomes second nature. Unfortunately, this filtering prevents a lot of our amazing ideas from ever materializing.
Try this experiment, inspired by Zach Beattie. Imagine a box on your lap. It can be any size, shape, or colour. Visualize this box in your mind. Notice the detail of it. Does it have a lid? Handles? Notice these things and add them to your visualization. Now, in a split second, without dwelling on the thought, imagine something inside that box. It could be anything at all.
Now think back and evaluate the thought process that you followed to decide on the thing in the box. Think about the rapid steps your mind went through to determine what was going to be in your box. Did you have more than one thought? Did you think ‘waffle’ and then instantly switch it to a bagel? Did you think ‘puppy’, and then rapidly reconsider and switch it to something more dangerous like a dragon, or something inanimate? Was it something inappropriate and then you switched it to something more appropriate?
Remarkably, even when you know you’re not going to share what’s in the box, you still filter your ideas. If you can catch yourself doing that, it can be a very important awareness lesson toward the goal of accepting your own internal creative offers.
Now imagine that we ran the same experiment, but we were in a group, and instead I asked you to pick a partner, then imagine the box, imagine what’s inside, and then tell your partner what’s in the box. The likelihood that you would switch from your first impulse will be even higher. Improvisors become very aware of this self-filtering and unlearn it as best they can. They learn that every idea that comes to mind is a gift to be shared.
Karl Plesz
Your Productivity Guru
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