Happy insight: 5 steps to new discoveries

The XNUMXth-century writer Horace Walpole coined the word serendipity to refer to the complex concept of a pleasant and unexpected discovery, as well as the ability to draw useful conclusions from random observations. In Russian, it is translated as “sagacity”, but this is not entirely accurate. Rather, a happy insight when we say: “There is no evil without good” and “There would be no happiness, but misfortune helped.” Walpole was inspired by the old Persian tale of three princes from the country of Serendip who managed to find what they were not looking for at all, and always to their advantage.

Serendipity implies that a shrewd person, even having made a mistake, can come to a discovery due to it. Christopher Columbus swam thousands of miles in the wrong direction and discovered America. Alexander Fleming forgot the mold bacteria in the lab and discovered penicillin. Percy Spencer noticed that microwave radiation could heat objects, leaving a candy bar in his pocket while working with a powerful electronic lamp. The candy bar melted and Spencer invented the microwave. But what if Columbus sailed in the right direction, Fleming just washed the dishes, and Spencer took the chocolate out of his pocket in time? If everyone corrected their mistakes, instead of getting something good out of them, the world would be left without many great discoveries.

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Of course, there are those who will say that all this is just a coincidence. “We do not tolerate explanation through chance,” says Dominique Desjeux, professor of social and cultural anthropology at the University of Paris-Descartes. “We prefer predestination and try to find in what is happening signs of fate, intrigue, conspiracy, intention – good or bad.” And there is a reason for this. Attributing everything to chance, we would have to admit that little depends on us, that both good and bad things happen in the world without the participation of our mind. Such a view of things not only gives rise to anxiety, but somehow does not really fit in with an active life position.

“We should learn to distinguish between what is up to us and calls for our actions, and what is beyond our control and should be taken for granted,” argues the philosopher Elsa Godart, drawing on the Stoic philosophers and their “therapy judgments.” We cannot prevent disaster. But whether our life will end there or whether we can turn it into a useful experience is up to us.” Fortune smiles on the brave, says a Latin proverb.

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• Intuition: knowledge as premonition

Some coincidences are especially significant for us, because in our perception they not only make sense, but also become a guide, as if they indicate the direction in which we should move. “They seem to be, although not caused by the unconscious, yet serve some purpose of it, and this makes a person reconsider his decisions,” adds philosopher Michel Cazenave. Serendipity is not just an accident, it is the result of our ability to turn an unexpected set of circumstances in our favor. The question is whether it can be learned. Dr. Stephann Makri, of University College London, has identified a few points that can be used to better recognize a lucky break and use it more effectively.

Of course, these steps alone do not guarantee results, simply because it would be absurd to promise surprise. However, it is definitely in our power to create real prerequisites for happy insights. Dr. Makri tells us what we should do for this.

Step 1

– Diversify your usual life. “This is especially beneficial for your career,” emphasizes Dr. Macri. “Make an effort and attend events, discussions and discussions that you usually don’t pay attention to.” Expanding your horizons will make you more likely to have new bright ideas and meet people who will play an important role in your career.

Step 2

– Pay close attention to your surroundings. That is, look less at your phone and look around more often. Perhaps when you go out for a bite to eat, you will meet a friend from a previous place of work, and he will tell you something interesting, or your eyes will stumble upon something that will help solve the problem you are struggling with. “Try to be more fully present in reality, communicate with people around you – this can open many doors in your life,” advises Dr. Macri.

Step 3

– Change your internet habits. On the one hand, it is important to remember that there is life outside of Google – do not disappear into the Web for days and nights. On the other hand, change your routes on the Internet. “When you have an extra 10 minutes at work, look at sites that you usually don’t look at,” advises Dr. Macri. “This is not a waste of time, because it is not known what ideas or chain of events you will set in motion in this way.”

Step 4

– Take a look at your life. Free up mental space to set the stage for a happy insight. “Sometimes we need to jump out of the squirrel wheel of life, in which we are all running in circles, and give ourselves space to think,” says Dr. Macri. “It’s at moments like this that serendipity is born.”

Step 5

– Loosen control, be curious. You should not strictly adhere to the once and for all established routine – try to do something that you have not done before, go to a new unfamiliar place for lunch or for a walk, talk to a person with whom you have not communicated before.

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