Traditional western schooling was originally designed to prepare students for a factory-based economy. With its roots in the industrial era, it emphasized convergent thinking, which involves a focused, linear, and analytical way of reasoning to reach a correct answer.
This education model was great at producing workers who could follow instructions and perform specific tasks efficiently. But the problem with this approach, in my opinion, and this might sound conspiratorial, but it perfectly groomed masses to be compliant, unquestioning participants in a system that values conformity over creativity, and obedience over independent thought.
While there are great teachers who encourage creativity and critical thinking within this system, I feel it’s actually the system itself that can be stifling for all involved.
The point is in most areas of life, convergent thinking is very limiting because it only really works when dealing with well-defined problems. And those are rare.
Convergent thinking doesn’t fully prepare us for the complexities and ambiguities of life. And while we can’t change how we were educated, we can change the way we observe and interact with the world.
Ergo, we can embrace divergent thinking.
Most problems require looking beyond what the obvious problem is, to challenge assumptions and explore alternatives on the fringe of what “makes sense.”
Divergent thinkers are the ones who question the status quo and ask, “What if?” They don’t settle for the first idea or the most comfortable solution. They keep digging, exploring, and pushing past the easy answers to uncover something more meaningful and innovative.
Here are some examples of divergence in context:
- Creative Divergence: Brainstorming sessions where people are encouraged to generate as many ideas as possible without immediately judging their feasibility.
- Philosophical Divergence: When people propose different theories or interpretations of a concept, leading to varied schools of thought.
- Technological Divergence: Creating multiple prototypes to explore different functionalities or designs.
Consider the era-defining innovations that have come from those who think differently.
Steve Jobs didn’t just create a better phone; he reimagined what a phone could be.
Elon Musk didn’t just build another car company; he envisioned an entire ecosystem for sustainable energy and space exploration.
We can’t argue that these innovators, while they have their faults, were willing to explore the unknown, embrace uncertainty, and entertain multiple possibilities.
And what’s more, isn’t it interesting that these era-defining disruptors are almost always neurodivergent?
People with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other forms of neurodivergence are often identified as people with disorders that must be pathologized and fixed. They tend to struggle in traditional western schooling.
But I’d argue that neurodivergence is a superpower if you can be in the right environment – one that recognizes the NDs unique perspective as a powerful advantage in creating novel solutions and approaches.
Neurodivergent people can be highly efficient in chaotic environments. They have unique cognitive processing styles which has them thinking outside the conventional frameworks that most people adhere to.
But don’t feel left out if you’re not on the spectrum.
There are other types of people who naturally lean into divergent thinking. These are often the intuitives (according to the MBTI framework).
Intuitives (xNxx) look at the bigger picture, connect dots others might miss, and imagine futures that aren’t yet visible to everyone else. They envision. Their ability to see beyond the present and consider what could be makes them natural divergent thinkers. They typically thrive in brainstorming, playing with ideas, or intuitively pivoting when they see a new opportunity.
If you don’t know your MBTI you can go to www.16personalities.com
(By the way, if you know your MBTI, please reply back with what it is. I’d love to know what types of people are reading this newsletter.)
Now if you’re neither neurodivergent, nor an intuitive type, you’re doomed.
Kidding… I guess that’s spectrum humour.
Divergent thinking is a skill and mindset anyone can develop. Here are a few ways you can practice divergent thinking:
- Question assumptions: Ask “why” and “why not” more often. Challenge yourself to see beyond the immediate and look deeper into the possibilities that aren’t obvious.
- Practice brainstorming: Let your mind wander, explore wild ideas, and don’t worry about them making sense right away. Usually the best ideas come unexpectedly.
- Embrace curiosity and Exploration: Read widely, talk to different kinds of people, and expose yourself to new experiences. The more you expand your inputs, the more connections your mind can make.
- Allow for ambiguity: Life doesn’t always offer clear answers, and that’s okay. Instead of needing to know everything upfront, focus on exploring and iterating.
- Attempt to define your reality without words: That’s a fun meditation.
- Explore psychedelics intentionally and safely: I’ll just leave it at that.
When we step away from the idea that there is only one correct path, we open up to a world of possibilities. It’s what allows entrepreneurs to adapt, artists to create meaningful work, and everyday people to solve their own challenges in ways that bring more purpose into their lives.
So next time you’re faced with a problem, don’t settle for the obvious. Push beyond it. Think differently. Make mistakes. Colour outside the lines. The best ideas are often just beyond the edges of what we already know.
This is the mindset that I feel best drives farsighted action, fuels creativity, and leads to more meaningful and unexpected outcomes.
But that’s just my opinion.
I’d love to hear yours.
In an attempt to better understand what makes a life well lived, one that feels like a legendary life, these are topics I contemplate all day, every day. And I don’t want to get stuck in my own opinion.
Replies, revisions, revolts to my opinions are always welcome.
Cheers,
Jeff Depatie