Think Softer, Not Harder.

It'll help you grow with the flow...

‘Work smarter, not harder’ was a phrase I’ve heard people say since early in my career:  At the time I thought it was a new phrase, but it turns out it was first coined back in the 1930's by an industrial engineer called Allen Morgenstern. His idea was that by improving how we worked, rather than just putting in more hours, we could increase how effectively we worked. 

I’d like to introduce a phrase on a similar theme :

Think softer, not harder.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been told that you need to think long and hard, to get the best results when it comes to problem solving and creativity. It turns out that this is not true at all.

Einstein’s best ideas and solutions to problems didn’t come from thinking as hard as possibly could. His most creative thoughts came when he was having ‘theta’ brain waves - or what I’m calling ‘soft thoughts’. Theta waves happen in your brain when you are relaxed, for example when your attention is in the present moment. According to studies by Ned Herrmann they are also the predominant brain wave, when you are just about to fall asleep or are very relaxed. 

Einstein was known for saying “I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me.” So he would intentionally go into a relaxed state of mind, to give himself the best chance of solving complex problems.  Einstein was also famous for his micro-sleeps during the day, which were only a few seconds, but also enabled him to experience theta waves. He would sit in his favourite armchair, contemplating a problem, and then start to drift off. He’d hold a spoon in his hand, and place a plate on the floor so that when he started falling into a deeper sleep, the spoon would drop and wake him up so he could capture the solution!  

These soft thinking theta waves he experienced, are the same brain waves experienced in times of flow, and meditation.

It’s also the same brain waves that Willie Nelson benefited from when he wrote the 3 classic songs (Crazy, Time Slips a Way and Night Life) in one week. In an interview with Howard Stern he talks about how he was “doing a lot of freeway driving that week”, which is another way of experiencing theta waves, and Nelson attributes this state of mind to his ability to write the 3 masterpieces.  

So next time you want to be creative, or solve a complex problem, don’t punish yourself by thinking harder and harder - think softer! 

You’re much better off becoming more present of your surroundings, letting your thoughts go, or being more conscious of your breathing, and becoming more present in the moment. You may not be able to take micro-sleeps like Einstein ( or maybe you can), but you’ve probably heard people say they have their best ideas in the shower - this is also when people are ‘in theta’.

So think softer, not harder. That’s where you’ll be most creative and be more likely to solve those big problems you’ve been wrestling with.