Insight

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They are where most people get insights (according to research)

BINGO! You are absolutely correct.

A

A,B, and C are true

C’mon, did you watch the rest of the video?.

They are all opportunities for introspective reflection, a condition for insight.

Oh but that’s only PART of the story! Sadly, not fully correct.

C

You’re ALMOST right, but there’s a bit more to it than that.

B

None of these options  are true

E

They are all examples of the 4 conditions for insight

NEARLY correct. However, think of the whole story….

D

Insights usually happen at your desk

Warning: HOT LAVA

Tip: Try finding somewhere safe for Mr Wobletron. 

True

There are 3 conditions for insight.

I’M DONE

False

True

False

See if you can’t help Mr  Wobletron cheat a fiery death in lava, by answering these quiz questions and building safer platforms. Hint: you can also pick up Mr Wobbletron with your mouse.

Quiet refers to a quiet environment

False

TRY AGAIN

Inferential Theory The inferential theory claims that presque vu occurs when we cannot infer enough from the clues provided to recall the actual memory. This theory has two different explanations as to how this might be. 1.) Cue familiarity theory suggests we form relations from certain verbal cues. As a result, we’ll find it difficult to recall information when we do not recognise these cues. 2.) Accessibility heuristic suggests that we experience presque vu when we have a lot of strong information. Consequently, this brings forward context of the memory without the memory itself.

The “tip of the tongue” experience is so common, the French have a word for it - 'presque vu'. Which translated, means ‘almost seen’. This is similar to ‘deja vu’, which means ‘already seen’.  Psychologically, there are two main theories for why this occurs, Direct Access theory, and Inferential theory. Click either of the links above to understand more. 

PRESQUE VU

Direct Access Theory

Direct Access Theory  Direct access theory is where there is enough memory strength for   the brain to signal a memory but not enough to recall it. This means we feel the presence of the memory itself without being able to recall it. There are three theses as to why this might happen: 1.) Blocking thesis states that the cues for the retrieval of memory are close to the actual memory but not close enough. They might be related enough to be plausible. As a consequence, it is difficult to think of the actual word or term. 2.) Incomplete activation thesis occurs when a target memory is not activated enough to be remembered. However, we can sense its presence. 3.) In transmission deficit thesis, semantic and phonological information is stored and recalled differently. Therefore, a semantic, or linguistic stimulation of memory may not sufficiently activate the phonological memory. For instance, the actual word we are looking for is causing a tip of the tongue feeling.

HOW

There are many ways to avoid thinking directly about the problem. In coaching, some of the most effective tactics are: - Think about your thinking about the problem, not the problem itself. This allows one to engage in ‘meta-cognition’, which helps with insight. - Think about an adjacency - rate the issue out of ten, or think about a percentage of how complete the issue is - this has you thinking of a number, not the problem itself. 

Because insight is a non-conscious process, the more that we attempt to place conscious attention onto  an idea, thought, puzzle, or solution, the more noise it creates.  Conscious thinking (from the pre- frontal cortex (PFC), is very noisy.  Similarly, emotional states (from the limbic system) are  equally noisy.  Remember that our brain needs quiet to hear the whispers of insight, and  chasing a breakthrough, acts as a major noise generator in our heads. 

The more you think about a potential solution, the further  away it tends to get.  It is like trying to remember  someone’s name to introduce  them at a party and all of a  sudden, the name is gone, (seeimingly) never to return. It is only when you stop trying to recall the name, does it  return. Often days or weeks  later, when you’re doing  something entirely unrelated. 

Return to conditions for insight

Inferential Theory

WHY

Not really what we had in mind. Quiet refers more to this kind of noise...

Review Other Conditions For Insight

1

When someone seems   to be over-managing you, or worse, micro-managing you, if this is number one, you will difficulty hearing insight.

5

Being blamed for your bosses mistake

Operating in an extended period of ambiguity

This selection is unlikely to impact the frequency of your insights much at all. 

2

KEY

This selection will not generally interfere with your ability to achieve an ‘Ah ha!’ moment, due to noise, unless other circumstances are at play. 

3

If there isn’t clarity about what, why, and how, the situation will create noise for you until resolved. If this is #1, insights will go unheard. 

The selection here indicates what is most likely to cause you to have a reduction in frequency of insights, especially in a public setting. This is the thing that is likely to create the most noise for you.

Anything that could cause you to feel your expertise, qualifications or ability are not trusted will create a lot of noise for you if this is number one.

Being left out of a team building event

If this is at the top for you, a sense of exclusion or lack of belonging will be very noisy and reduce insight. You need to make yourself feel "part of it” to dampen this noise. 

The selection here will support the first selection and often go hand in hand in reducing your frequency to have insights.

A quiet mind is important, not a quiet environment (although sometimes that helps).  When we refer to quiet, we are talking about dampening the noise and interference from internal and external threats, fear, pressure, rumination, worry and concern.  The fear of being judged or found wanting, less than, is a major concern people have in team meetings, for example.

HINT?

Rank order:    which one of these is most likely, to least likely, to annoy you at work?

4

This selection may not have an obvious  impact on your propensity to have insights, but will be a factor nonetheless.

Being called out publicly for doing a bad job

TIPS FOR QUIET

Having someone tell you exactly how to do your job

Test your reflective capacity (ability to look inwards)

Science tells us that on average, we have more than 6000 thoughts per day. If you don’t remember your last one specifically, that could be why.  

How long does it take you to form a 1st impression of someone?

How many of these questions can you answer with a high degree of certainty? Capture your answers on a piece of scrap paper and press continue when done.  

The last time you were angry, what caused it?

Science tells us that on average, we make between 30-35 thousand decisions a day.

How long does it take you to resist an impulse, generally?

Now hover over each question to see what the science says.

Science tells us that it takes roughly 0.3 seconds to engage the brain’s impulse control system

Science tells us that it takes roughly 100 miliseconds (0.1 seconds) to form a first impression.

How many decisions have you made so far today?

Science tells us that there are 27 human emotions, and 90% of the time we’re experiencing at least one of them. 

Science tells us that anger is a secondary emotion - it is triggered by pain or fear or sadness. If your answer was “what somebody did” then chances are you’re not giving credit for your own interpretation of that behavior and how that triggered the anger.

FINISHED

CONTINUE

How many feelings have you had so far today?

What was the last thought you had before reading this?

Insight requires us to be slightly positive, and at the very least, a little calm.

If you found it difficult to navigate  that last game, there’s a very good reason… In a threat state, our ability to think clearly and act calmly deteriorates. Even when we’re not directly under threat, such as when we’re trying to save a fictional character from a pool of fake lava...

MORE TIPS FOR QUIET MIND Learn to focus your attention deeply Stop ruminating Worry about the current dominant task, don’t engage in ‘branching off’ Learn mindfulness techniques

TIPS FOR QUIET MIND Brainstorm only with groups you trust and connect with Look for ways to do deep thinking asynchronously Give topics in advance for people to pre-think Manage negative, inner narrative