Take a Hike
May 29th, 2008 — tonymayoOne pattern I noticed while reading about the physicists and mathematicians
who invented quantum mechanics and built the atomic bomb was the number of key insights that came to them while hiking and walking. At first I thought this might have been a mere cultural coincidence. Many of these scientists were turn-of-the-century central Europeans; perhaps walking was just a common hobby amongst this group? I have since noticed that I and my clients often have our key insights while walking. One client generated so many ideas while strolling that she bought a mini-recorder just to capture them.
This casual observation turns out to have solid scientific support. An article at Scientific American, How to Unleash Your Creativity, includes this from Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way,
When people walk, they often begin to integrate [their] insights and intuitions.
There’s more on creativity in the article including some techniques for fostering it in work groups and children but don’t read it now. Grab a pencil and go for a walk.
