As adults, we tend to hang our hats on what we have learned and what we have experienced. We explain our world with logic and rational thinking. But what about radical thinking?
A study in 2010 took this theory to the test by asking a group of college students to write a short essay on what they would do if school was cancelled for a day. Another group of students were asked to imagine that they were seven years old when answering the question.
After this exercise, participants were asked to complete a creative thinking test. Most participants performed as expected, apart from the participants who had been asked to write the essay from the perspective of a seven year old. This group exhibited significantly higher levels of originality in thought.
The Little Prince reminds us to look at the world through the eyes of a child once in a while so that we can see of new ways to approaching old ideas. Take a moment to free yourself from the mental constraints of routine and give yourself the opportunity to think like a child again. I just spent some time with granddaughters Stella (5) and Chloe (2). What a wonderful world they see and live in.
