Transcriber: Tanya Cushman Reviewer: Peter van de Ven
When I was asked to talk about novel curiousity,
my mind started to wander.
And I remembered, as a child, we read "To Kill a Mockingbird," in English class.
One day, my teacher asked me,
"Christina, what did Boo Radley leave in the tree for the children?"
I'd been day dreaming at the time, and I had no idea what she asked.
So I leant back and my good friend Maz whispered, "Gum. He left gum."
So I confidently proclaimed, "A gun. He left a gun."
My teacher looked at me in disbelief,
thinking perhaps I was mad, on a Shakespearean scale.
If you're anything like me, that will make perfect sense to you.
It's our little secret, our private world that nobody knows about.
So, I'm thinking about novel curiousity,
I thought I'd share with you the insatiable world of a day dreamer.
At first, I tried to rein it in,
but now I believe there's magic behind the magic.
And in today's world, I fear day dreaming has been drowned out by technology.
We're on two to three different machines at once,
our thought processes constantly being interrupted.
The gravitational pull of these screens
steals time away from reflection and zoning out.
Today, I want to convince you that day dreaming is a good thing,
and you should let go of your inhibitions and allow your mind to wander freely -
just not for the next six minutes.
(Laughter)
So, let's start with the science behind day dreaming.
Why and how do we day dream?
Well, physiologically speaking,
we're neither asleep nor awake during a day dream.
But instead, in this peculiar in-between state,
where our thoughts are lucid,
but we're at serious risk of leaving our mouth hanging open
like a surprised monkey.
(Laughter)
So, what's actually going on?
Well, neuroscientist Marcus Raichle recognized something in the brain
that he calls the "default mode network."
This is the mode where your mind starts to drift away.
This is the point where your ideas and thoughts start to dance,
and you're merely observing what's happening.
So how does that really work?
Well, scientists recognize that this so-called "default mode network"
actually increases in activity while you're day dreaming.
It consists of parts of the brain involved in sensory activity, experiences.
That's why when you day dream, it can evoke emotion or make you laugh.
Despite its name, this default mode network
is never actually on default, but rather active,
giving way to a flood of ideas and thoughts.
So, what's actually going on?
Well, it does so by generating its own stimulation.
The technical name for this is "stimulus independent thought,"
a thought that's originated in something other than your immediate surroundings.
Have you ever felt yourself drifting away without any real control?
Here's why.
The part of the brain that's involved in supervising,
reflecting on what you're day dreaming
is also part of this default mode network.
So, in other words,
you don't have enough capacity to think about what you're thinking.
Studies show that we spend 50% of our daily waking time day dreaming,
using this time to explore inner experiences,
thinking about something that might happen in the future.
We use our default mode network to help us understand other people.
It's engaged when we're being empathetic,
and it assists us in making moral decisions.
The default mode network is actually found to be bigger
in people who fantasize more.
Creative thinkers have more gray matter,
giving way to a vivid exchange of information and the sparking of ideas.
So now we understand the science behind day dreaming.
Is it a good thing?
Or is it just a cute way of saying you're unfocused, lazy, or even mad?
Well, day dreamers have shaped our world for the better.
Day dreamers allow information and knowledge
to run free through their mind,
and then it connects in a way they hadn't considered before.
Day dreaming is actually a strong indicator of a well-equipped brain.
It's correlated with better working memory,
higher levels of creativity
and more effective problem-solving.
We've all heard the stories.
Einstein is believed to have begun his theory of relativity
while he day dreamed about running alongside a beam of light
to the edge of the universe.
Newton begun his theory of gravity while he relaxed in his mother's garden
and saw an apple fall from the tree.
And Greek philospher Archimedes discovered the relationship
between the rising water levels and the volume of his body
in the submersion of water while he took a bath.
(Laughter)
Without these day dreamers,
we may never have had some discoveries we've had today.
So then, what's the problem?
Should we all just put down our electronics, play hooky
and spend the next decade sitting under trees and swimming in Greek baths?
(Laughter)
Well, the problem is day dreamers are eternal procrastinators.
Day dreaming is like a little puppy begging to play.
And although we like play time,
it means we find it hard to get things done.
We're also using all of our energy to focus on our thoughts
rather than what's going on around us.
So without harnessing the power of day dreaming,
are we just losing time and opportunities?
Now let's address how to harness the power of day dreaming.
I remember listening to John Cleese
talking about his approach to creative writing
when he wrote the famous Monty Python.
He would go to a hotel in the country and check in with no check-out date.
Then in the mornings,
he'd go for long walks and allow himself to day dream.
He would then write as freely and creatively as he liked.
Not until late afternoon, did he switch on his analytical mind
reviewing what he'd written and editing it into our beloved Monty Python.
I believe we can learn from John Cleese
in his ability to allow the mind to wander freely
before harnessing his creativity into something magical.
Similarly, Thomas Jefferson once said,
"The object of a walk is to allow the mind to relax.
Once must not even commit oneself to think while on a walk."
I know when I can't immediately find the solution to something,
a walk, a run, a lie-down in the grass staring up at the clouds
can somehow clear the head.
The more I chase a thought, an idea, a solution,
the further it hides in my mind.
The more I allow this so-called "default mode network" to run freely,
the easier it is to find a solution.
Ideas are in flights all around our minds,
just waiting for clearance to land.
So, allow your minds to wander freely.
But without harnessing the power of day dreaming,
we won't be the next Einstein.
In order to address the problem of day dreaming just stealing time,
you need to capture each crazy thought,
funny anecdote,
or potential world-changing idea
in a notebook.
Then,
once your analytical mind is in gear,
assess the validity of your ideas.
Once you're happy, shout them from the rooftops,
share them with friends, families and colleagues,
to allow your novel curiousity to take flight
and potentially change the world.
Can somewhere sitting here today dream up the next world-changing invention
or awe-inspiring novel?
In the end, we need to learn to cherish our day dreams,
to recognize them as powerful means of escape,
and let them be our guide to unlock creativity, healthy madness
and the magic in our world.
So embrace, join, and above all, encourage our world's day dreamers.
Thank you.
(Applause)