Indulging in Flights of Fancy is Just Good Sense

Holding a shell up to your ear to hear the ocean is one of life’s most simple pleasures. Beachcombers on sandy coasts around the world have all at one time or another paused to listen to the crashing waves immured within the coils of a castaway conch.

However, you may be surprised to know – or probably not surprised at all – the ocean isn’t actually trapped within the shell. The inner cavities of seashells have many hard, undulating surfaces ideal for reflecting sound – or more specifically in this case, ambient sound. The “ocean” you hear in seashells is actually the cacophony of white noise going on around you as it bounces around the inside of the shell.

Obviously, most people know there is a more logical explanation to why we can hear the ocean in seashells. But where’s the fun in that?

The chief enemy of creativity is good sense. – Pablo Picasso

Sometimes, it’s much more productive to check good sense at the door. Revolutionary thinking comes from an unrestrained imagination. Indulging in flights of fancy from time to time can be the jolt to the mind that’s needed to clear the clutter and break through the mental blocks.

Remind yourself to listen for the ocean, not the inside of an empty shell.

How do you inspire creative, outside-the-box (or shell) thinking among your team? Let us know in the comments section below.

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