The Power of Naming All Ideas

Have you ever felt stuck on a problem or found yourself in a negative thought loop, like your mind is going in circles and no new ideas are coming?  Maybe you are a pro at black-or-white/all-or-nothing thinking and feel trapped by the anxiety it brings?  Or maybe you become caught up in the worst possible case scenario in your mind and can’t push past it long enough to find another way out?  

If all of this sounds familiar to you, a cognitive behavioral strategy called divergent thinking can help.

Divergent thinking is the practice of coming up with as many ideas and options as possible, without worrying about outcomes, or even whether those ideas are realistic, logical, or practical. This technique of expanding your possibilities without judgment can open up new ways of thinking, tap into creativity, and spark motivation.

Let go of being ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ and let your creativity take the lead.

What Is Divergent Thinking?

Divergent thinking is a creative thinking process that encourages generating a wide variety of ideas. It’s not about being right, it’s about being free to explore many possibilities and options.  This helps us break out of rigid thought patterns and consider new perspectives.  It contrasts with convergent thinking, which focuses on finding a single, correct answer.

A common technique used in divergent thinking is brainstorming, which is the practice of intentionally listing a wide range of ideas, even if they seem wild, impractical, or irrelevant.

The Science Behind Generating Implausible Ideas

1. Activation of the “Brain Creativity” Networks
   • When you try to come up with lots of ideas, even silly or implausible ones, you engage broad networks in the brain (especially in the default mode network and prefrontal cortex).
   • The Default Mode Network and Prefrontal Cortex become active when you engage in open-ended thinking. These areas are responsible for insight, imagination, and future planning (Beaty et al., 2016).
   • This helps connections in the brain that might otherwise remain hidden (Beaty et al., 2016).
     
2. Reduces Inhibitory Control Temporarily
   • Letting go of the need for plausibility reduces cognitive inhibition, which allows for more spontaneous creativity without self-censorship of ideas.
   • Letting go of logic and judgment lowers self-censorship, helping ideas flow more freely, which allows more novel and less filtered thoughts to arise,  (Carson et al., 2003).
     
3. Quantity Leads to Quality
   • According to the “equal-odds rule” in creativity research, the more ideas you generate, the more likely you are to produce a highly original or useful one (Simonton, 1999).
   • The more ideas you come up with,  even the “really out there” ones, the more likely you are to find a great one just by increasing your cognitive flexibility (Simonton, 1999).
     
4. Incubation Effect
   • Generating a large number of options, even silly ones, helps the brain unconsciously keep working on the problem in the background, often leading to insights later (Sio & Ormerod, 2009).
   • After a break (or “unconscious incubation”), the brain often returns to the problem with a new perspective, increasing the chance of a creative solution (Sio & Ormerod, 2009).
     
5. Encourages Risk-Taking and Play
   • When people are not worried about being “right,” they engage more freely and playfully.
   • This playful mindset has been linked to greater creativity and problem-solving ability (Csikszentmihalyi, 1996).
   • Taking risks and being playful leads to higher levels of creativity and psychological flexibility (Csikszentmihalyi, 1996).
     

Try It Yourself!

This simple practice can help you break through blocks or spark fresh insights. Quick note:  This strategy also works great with a partner, especially if you are locked in a disagreement on how to move forward on an issue:

1. Choose a focus area or problem to solve.  
2. Set a timer for 5–10 minutes.  
3. List every idea that comes to mind;  don’t filter or judge.  All ideas are welcome! 
4. After time is up, circle any ideas that stand out as a possible solution.  
5. Reflect:  

• How did this practice change your emotional state?
• How do you feel differently about the problem?
• What did you learn about the way you think?
• Did any of the “really out there” ideas spark other, more plausible ideas?
• Which new idea (or ideas) do you think you could you try that you hadn’t thought of before you started this exercise?

References

Beaty, R. E., Benedek, M., Silvia, P. J., & Schacter, D. L. (2016). Creative cognition and brain network dynamics. *Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 20*(2), 87–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2015.10.004

Carson, S. H., Peterson, J. B., & Higgins, D. M. (2003). Decreased latent inhibition is associated with increased creative achievement in high-functioning individuals. *Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85*(3), 499–506.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). *Creativity: Flow and the psychology of discovery and invention*. HarperCollins.

Simonton, D. K. (1999). *Origins of genius: Darwinian perspectives on creativity*. Oxford University Press.

Sio, U. N., & Ormerod, T. C. (2009). Does incubation enhance problem solving? A meta-analytic review. *Psychological Bulletin, 135*(1), 94–120.