A Flash of Genius

By Mylène Grégoire, President and PCC coach at Mymosa &CO Consulting inc. 

Some people experience it in the shower, others while meditating, and some while strolling peacefully with their dog: that elusive flash of genius, the moment when a brilliant idea strikes like magic, solving a problem or inspiring something extraordinary. But can you summon this moment of clarity? Is it possible to deliberately spark the flash of insight that might lead to instant success?

While reading Head Trip by Jeff Warren, I stumbled upon a fascinating technique pioneered by none other than Thomas Edison, the ultimate master of innovation. Determined to maximize his creativity, Edison devised a clever ritual. He would sit in a chair with a table nearby and place two metal plates on either side of him. Holding a steel ball in each hand, palms up, he’d let himself drift into a light sleep.

And that’s when the magic happened. As his muscles relaxed, the steel balls would gently fall from his hands, striking the metal plates with a clang and jolting him awake. Edison discovered that in the first ten minutes of this half-sleep state, golden ideas and unexpected connections would often emerge, ready to be captured.

Even Salvador Dalí reportedly used a similar technique to enhance his creativity, showing that this approach transcends disciplines. Inspired by this timeless hack, Jeff Warren adapted it for the modern age, emphasizing the importance of approaching your problem with a positive mindset and genuine enthusiasm to achieve the best results.

Flash of Genius: A Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s how you can invite these moments of pure inspiration into your own life:

1. Define your question
   On a piece of paper, write down the problem or challenge you want to solve. Visualize it clearly and immerse yourself in its essence.

2. Prepare your tools
   Keep a pencil and notebook within reach, and set a timer for 20 minutes.

3. Clear your mind
   Take one to two minutes to quiet your thoughts and let your mind settle.

4. Drift into drowsiness
   As you enter that twilight state between wakefulness and sleep, jot down any ideas, images, or associations that come to mind.

5. Capture your thoughts upon waking
   If you fall asleep and the timer wakes you, spend a moment writing down every thought, image, or detail you can recall.

And there you have it—you’ve tapped into your flash of genius.

This ritual, blending science and art, isn’t just a method; it’s an invitation to slow down, tune in to your subconscious, and uncover hidden treasures. Why not give it a try? You might be amazed at how these fleeting moments of semi-sleep can illuminate your path to brilliance.

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Mylène Grégoire, president and coach at Mymosa &CO, author, speaker and founder of the online training programs Brillez au boulot and From Gut to Success.

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