Jul 22

Jul 22 Learn to Create, Design to Learn

Design Philosophy, Education & Schooling

Humans Are Designed Both to Learn and to Design

The ability to create, and to become better at creating, is implicit in the nature of the brain’s neural network. A study performed in 2001 showed that when monkeys used tools, their brains rewired themselves to include those tools in their brain maps. To their brains, the tools became extensions of their bodies [1]. Any artist or creator proficient in his or her sphere has experienced such a sensation—moments when the brush and the pen guide themselves—though the neuroscientific explanation for this process probably wasn’t obvious. As one approaches the peak of efficient work and cerebral focus, creativity becomes a self-sustaining process: the flow of ideas morphs into a rapid current that carries the creator and maximizes both the pace of the work and the enjoyment that comes with it. We all seek to innovate in such a way, but how do we achieve this level of creation on a regular basis?

Brain Plasticity Guarantees Learning… If We Create Learning Habits

Acclaimed neuroscientist Michael Merzenich once described the brain as “massively plastic,” referring not to its physical texture, but its previously unrealized malleable nature [2]. The brain is the most complex, enigmatic organ in the human body, one whose true functionality physicians are exploring more each day. Since it controls our every action, both those we take voluntarily and those we don’t, the brain can come across as a sovereign entity—hardwired to fulfill its own mysterious wishes. We can feel the beating of the heart; the skin detects pain, the stomach hunger. The brain is a quiet organ—invisible in the fulfillment of its duties, yet commanding our every move. We separate our own sense of awareness from the brain’s role in our bodies when we should remember the power we actually have over it. The source of both consciousness and creativity—the brain is a living engine of intelligent design: as we take control of it through the establishment of constructive learning habits, we empower ourselves to be greater creators and more efficient innovators.

A Proper Mindset Increases Creativity

To support and increase the frequency of creative flow, one must maintain the proper mindset. As a complement to competent healthcare, having a positive attitude has been linked to lower risks of heart disease and mental disorder [3]. The opposite is true for pessimism: sick people who focus on their symptoms are more stressed and tend to recover more slowly [2]. Optimism is more than just an attitude; it is a habit of the mind—one that increases in strength with its exercise. While optimism can be a key to confronting challenges, it is also a one of the fruits of effective stress management. These clinical consequences show the power that our thoughts have on our physical health. Even greater than the effect that avoiding stress has on our health is the impact it has on our intellectual and creative capacities. Studies have shown that students who are stressed do more poorly in school, whereas those who manage stress well are better equipped to excel [4]. The same is true in our creative pursuits. In college, some of the greatest stressors come from outside influences—homework, projects, tests—but the way we approach these stressors has a large impact on our overall level of distress. Procrastination, pessimism, and distractedness play devastating roles in undermining the creative process and are frequently responsible for magnifying stress.

A Cognitive Creative Process

Just as the monkeys’ brains recognized tools as extensions of their bodies, the human brain reacts intuitively when we work with our hands. A multisensory creative experience has the power to improve our memory and accelerate mastery. Electronic tools and virtual workspaces have changed the way that we are able to freely access and share information, intensifying mankind’s pace of innovation and increasing the urgency with which humans design. While virtual creative workspaces are undoubtedly valuable, a sole reliance on the cloud can fog a creator’s mind. The accessible nature of the tools we use online removes the need to remember, and they can limit the brain’s capacity to retain information [2]. Whenever possible, our creative exploits should be rooted in reality, employing the physical space around us and demanding the use of our neurocognitive faculties. Even the most experienced computer programmers or web designers will sometimes pick up a pencil to start their work. Rather than the foundation of our design, electronic technologies should be the medium of building upon and sharing the results of our creative processes.

Rest, Exercise, and Play to Amplify Creativity

What we often fail to realize is that what we do when we’re not actively creating can affect our work just as much as what we do when we are. When faced with a difficult problem and a depleted brain, people often say that they’re going to “sleep on it.” Letting the mind rest is both essential and enabling; intermissions in our work allow the conscious mind to relax and recharge. These periods of constructive rest should become a habit in our studies and work. One of the best ways to take a productive mental break is to exercise: because of the increased flow of blood to the brain (and the oxygen it carries), physical activity empowers the brain to think more creatively [5]. In order for these breaks in our concentration to be effective, however, we need to give our brains a chance to work in the background. The easiest way to undermine an efficient break is to make our minds busier. The mental breaks of college students frequently consist of checking social media or playing video games, but these tasks increase the workload on the brain instead of lightening it. In order to think and design creatively, the brain needs time to recharge.

Conclusion

As we seek to establish a constructive mindset, use our cognitive senses, and let our minds rest, our creative potential grows. But the brain is not designed just to help us reach our potential; its nature enables us to rework our brain, to upgrade our brain, to rewire our brain. Through learning, creativity, and design we give our brain a “software upgrade,” and with this upgrade we can increase our learning, creativity, and design capacity.

Other suggested readings

Your brain is probably the most important part of your body. Love it. Nurture it. Protect it. And grow its capacity. Here are some additional books and articles that may help you do that better!

This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession, Daniel Levitin (Plume/Penguin), 2007.
The Spark: How Creativity Works, Julie Burstein (Harper), 2011.
The Art of Thinking Clearly, Rolf Dobelli (Harper Paperbacks), 2014.
Learningability and Cognition: The Acquisition of Argument Structure (Learning, Development, and Conceptual Change), Steven Pinker (The MIT Press), 2013.
Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind, Joe Dispenza, 2008.
Mind Hacking: How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days, John Hargrave (Gallery Books), 2017
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carolyn Dweck (Ballantine Books), 2007.
Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration, Ed Catmull (Random House), 2014.
Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School, John Medina (Pear Press), 2008.
The First 20 Minutes: Surprising Science Reveals How We Can Exercise Better, Train Smarter, Live Longer, Gretchen Reynolds (Hudson Street Press), 2012
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: How to Achieve More at Work and at Home, Laura Vanderkam (China Press), 2013.
Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day, Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky (Currency), 2018.
Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era, Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith (Scribner), 2016.