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Harvey Mackay: Good things happen to those who can imagine
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A mother once asked Albert Einstein how to raise a child to become a genius. Einstein advised her to read fairy tales to the child.
"And after that?" the mother asked.
"Read the child more fairy tales," Einstein replied, adding that what a scientist needs most is a curious imagination.
Imagination is important not only for scientists, but also for anyone looking for new and better ways to do what they're already doing. And who isn't in favor of that?
It seems like we start out in life with vivid imaginations. Consider these stories. Mozart wrote his first musical composition at age 4. Alexander the Great conquered most of the civilized world by the time he was 27. Napoleon defeated Italy in his late 20s.
And who can forget young computer whizzes Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Michael Dell? Larry Page and Sergey Brin started Google while they were college students.
Your imagination can take you to plenty of places you've never been. But if you haven't used it for a while, try these ways to awaken your imagination.
Ask questions. That's a very good way to open your mind and expand your possibilities. Start your questions with Why? How? What if? Don't expect immediate answers: That's where the imagination comes in.
Take risks. Try doing something a different way than you usually do it. Ask for help from someone new. Start a project that will require you to learn a new skill.
Be curious. Take a new road. Taste an exotic food. Read a book that makes you think. Talk to someone who has had unique experiences and imagine yourself in that situation.
Expect the unexpected. Instead of lamenting that things didn't turn out exactly as you planned, figure out how the surprise results might be even better. Give yourself permission to fail, perhaps more than a few times, and keep trying until you are satisfied with the result.
Let your artistic side play. Take a drawing class. Listen to music you don't ordinarily enjoy. Explore an art museum.
Observe the world around you. How many different kinds of leaves do you see? Choose a color and note how many objects are that shade. Get on your hands and knees and look around from a child's point of view.
I wonder what Ben Franklin would say about our dependence on electricity -- knowing that his rain-soaked kite-flying helped bring us to this point. I imagine that he would be thrilled. And I imagine he would look for another mystery to solve.
Mackay's Moral: There are no rules in imagination. If you can imagine it, you can do it.
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