AHA! Moments Explained! How Daydreaming Boosts Creativity and Problem Solving

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Okay, so whenever I take my glasses off, I always put them right here on the corner of this table,

“but they're not on the corner of this table, so where could they be?”

Okay, I really need to focus here at. Maybe I've there checked the corner of the table one more time. Still, no glasses! Hey, Guy Rossi! Mindy, don't you ever knock!

Sorry, I forgot. I'll do that now. And knock knock. Who's there? Guy Ross, can't you see? It's me, Mindy! Put your glasses on! Well, that's the problem, Mindy. I can't find my glasses anywhere!

Okay.

I always put them right here on the corner of this table, and they're not here.

Well, do you remember why you took them off? Yeah, I was helping Dennis, Thomas Fingerling, and Grandma G4's hook a canoe up to a shopping cart. Okay, that is not where I thought this was going. Why were you doing that? Because they were going camping down by the river in all the way,

and CarlTut's Thunderpaw was there too. Grandma G4's is cat? Cat, landlord or something? Yeah. Are you sure this wasn't just a dream you have? No, Anne, as I was doing all of this.

The shopping cart started to roll down the hill, pulling the canoe in the cat. So, I chased after it, but started to sweat, and my glasses kept slipping. So, I took them off, and now I have no idea where they are,

because they're not on the corner of this table where I always put them.

Uh-huh. Did you have checked everywhere on the corner of this table? No, where else could they be?

“I don't know, maybe you should check your head.”

Well, why would my glasses be on my head? Oh, they were on my head. See, that was easy. Easy, I've been searching for them for two hours. Wow, two hours, huh?

Where were you looking all that time? I was looking on the corner of the table where I always set them after I take them off. So, you were just looking in the same spot over and over and over again, and so focused on that one spot that you completely missed the obvious place that your glasses were hiding?

Ah, yeah, I guess you could say that. Well, maybe the problem was that you were too focused on where you left your glasses. How was it possible to be too focused? That's what you do when you're faced with a problem. You focus as hard as you can until you come up with a solution. Wow!

I mean, what was I supposed to do? Live my mind drift off like Grandma GeForce's shopping cart? I mean, maybe? What?

“Well, maybe to solve the problem of your missing glasses, you should have just let your mind wander.”

Why would I do that? Like I said, maybe you were too focused on the solution. You keep saying that I don't understand how anyone can be too focused. Okay, so I just read this new scientific study from the University of Tokyo where a team of researchers discovered that oftentimes our best ideas come

when we let our minds go and stop overthinking. So you're suggesting that maybe I would have found my glasses sooner. Had I not been thinking so hard about where they were, that maybe I would have thought to look somewhere else? That's exactly what I'm saying. See, when we're less focused or even when we daydream, we're making space in our imaginations for fresh new ideas to pop up.

Ah, I guess this does make a little sense, Mindy.

So you're suggesting that when we're focusing intensely on a single solution, the space in our imaginations is all taken up. Exactly. Oh, sorry, I better get this. It's Dennis.

Oh, this can't be good. There's supposed to be camping. Huh? Dennis? Hi, Mindy.

He's got Ross there.

“Well, yeah, but why'd you call my phone? Why didn't you just call Guy Ross?”

I don't know. You're just the first person I thought of.

Tell Guy Ross, we need his help. Get down kennel tubes. That's a bad kennel tubes, too. Joe, Joe. Will you tell me quiet?

Sure. Dennis, what is happening over there? Oh, Guy, thank goodness. We have a big problem. We made it to the river, but the campsite is on the other side of the river.

Well, Dennis, you have a canoe just take the canoe across the river. Well, that's the problem, Guy. I need to get me, Tommy, Granny G, and Colonel to expand her paw across the river. But the canoe is only big enough to hold me and one other person. Okay, so just take Colonel to its across and then come back and get Mr. Fingerling

and then get grandma G force. Um, that's not going to work. Why? Because if you leave me alone with fingerling, I'm going to eat them. What? Why?

This is the wilderness boy. Oh, please don't leave me alone with this woman. I don't want to be eaten. Okay, okay. Why don't you just take grandma G force across and then go back

“to get Thomas Fingerling and Colonel to its Thunderpaw?”

Oh, yeah, that's a great idea. Well, if I leave grandma G force alone on the other side of the river, she might run away. Bad try. I got the wrong. Okay, no, don't say it like that.

And if I'm stranded here alone with the cat, I might eat it. Wasn't no stop eating things. This is the wilderness. Okay, so let me make sure I've got this string. If Dennis crosses the river with Colonel to its Thunderpaw

and leaves grandma G force and Thomas Fingerling alone, then grandma G force will eat fingerling. Yeah, that's the wilderness after all. And if Dennis crosses the river with G force and leaves Colonel to its with Thomas Fingerling,

oh, I'll probably eat the Colonel. Because it's the wilderness. That is correct. Also, I'll run away. See what I'm faced with here, Guy Ross?

We're down! Down! This is a very tricky puzzle, Mindier. Can you think of something? Me?

I have to solve this. Well, somebody has to save us, Mindier. I'm bored of this, and I'm hungry too. Come here, fingerling. I don't think I can solve this problem.

“The pressure that's putting on my brain is just about 2 in 10.”

I can't even hear my fault. Wait a minute? What, Guy Ross? Mindier, this is like that scientific study you're telling me about from the University of Tokyo.

Guy Ross, this is no time for science. Yeah! No, no, no, everyone, let's hear what Guy Ross has to say. So, I just went through the same intense meltdown when I couldn't solve the problem of my missing glasses.

You did? Hey, we're on your head. We're gonna pay boy. Well, yes, I know that now, but for a few hours, I was so stressed about not knowing where my glasses were. I couldn't even stop to think about where I might have left them.

Sir, what's the solution, Guy?

The solution is, we need to stop focusing so hard on solving the problem

and give our imaginations more space to have new ideas. Focus, let's. Well, let don't make no sense. Well, actually, it does make sense. I mean, maybe our imaginations are all clogged

and stuck in freak out mode from all the pressure that we're putting on them to solve this problem. Ah, our brain pipes is all clogged and big. That's right. Well, good thing is I brought a plunger.

Give me your head, find your ring, and I'll unclog them branchrata. You brought along your own plunger camping? No, I brought your Rogers plunger. Listen, everyone. Our brains work better when they're not stuck

on one approach or possible solution. It's true. The scientists in this study experimented by asking a group of people to solve some very tricky puzzles. And what happened, mini? Yeah, what did they discover?

Well, they discovered that the people who solved the problems weren't the ones staring and stressing out over the answers.

So, should you first plunger my mind then?

Yeah. No, no, not with an actual plunger.

So, in this study, the people who solved the puzzles

let their minds just wander a little. But, like, daydreaming? Exactly. So, the researchers discovered that when people stopped focusing so hard on solving the puzzles, their brains made surprising connections to new ideas.

And help them find the answers in creative ways. You know it.

“Well, then, I think we've solved the problem of how to solve this problem.”

We have? Yes. We need to stop thinking so hard and send our brains on a little vacation. We all need to chill. We're extreme.

Whatever. No, too, Mindy and Guy. All right. We're with you, Dennis. Okay, everyone.

On the count of three, we all relax. Think about solutions, but let our minds wander and daydreaming if they want to. Okay. Okay.

One, two, three. One day. One day. One day. One day.

All right. So, we fingering on the starting side of the river on the back for the cat. Leave the cat and take grandma cheap years across. I'm going to eat fingerling.

Well, I don't leave me alone with that cat. Well, I think it knows computer. Fingerling probably tastes bad anyway. Might be if I put some mayonnaise on him. I don't even know how to row about.

So, if fingerling and hernal tooth thundercall of a cat

are left alone, fingerling will never survive.

I can't believe Grandma G force took my plunger without asking. We're here. Okay. Time to lunch another bowl with this guy. What?

What? Wow, that was a really nice brain break. I feel looser. Yeah, me too. So, did it work?

Did letting our brains wander around?

“Help us solve the problem of getting all four of us across the river?”

Yeah. So, I was thinking that maybe Dennis should take Mr. Fingerling across the river first. So, and then I can go back to the other side of the river alone. And then he can take my across and the boat. One more way.

No. Okay. Leave me alone. Would you force you to leave me? Oh, yes. That's right.

It's the wilderness. Exactly. Wait, I got it. I figured it out. You did? I did.

What is it, Guy? What's the solution?

Well, there's only one way to find out.

Dennis, pick up your paddle. It's time for some river crossing. Hi, Captain Mindy. No, actually, you're the captain Dennis, not me. Literally.

And now, take Thomas Fingerling across the river. Oh, right. Time A, work. Get in the boat. Oh, okay.

On your mark. Get set. Go! paddle. paddle.

paddle. paddle. Oh, right. Five. There.

There. There. There. There. Made it.

Tabby. Get out. Oh, you don't. Okay. What's next?

Okay. Now, go back alone, Dennis. Roger that. paddle. Paddling.

Once you get there, get him. She's forcing. Bring her to the other side. Make it. Ready, Jay.

Get in the boat. What? Tell me what to do, boy. Okay. Hold that tight.

No. Paddling. You got this, Billy. Get in the boat. Magnus.

That was.

“Uh, the Grimmagey Forest gets out of the boat.”

Oh. Ah. There. You are. When you're awake, come here.

I'm hungry. Oh, boy. Dennis, quick. Grab Thomas Fingerling and bring them back with you to the other side. What?

Oh, good fun. Is that genius? So, and is it? I just got him here. Dennis, just do it.

Alright. Get in the boat, Tommy. Okay. What? Good.

Paddling. Paddling. Paddling. What's your own? Why are you guys going back to the beginning?

I don't know. What? Paddling. Thomas Fingerling. Who?

Okay. Now, grab Primal Toots Thunderpot Dennis and bring him across to Grandma G Forest. Quick. Okay. Come here, Colonel Ted.

You're coming with me. No scratching. Paddling. Paddling. Paddling.

Paddling. You're doing great, Dennis. Paddling. Ready, Jake. What?

Take your cat. Oh, I see this solution now. We just got a late fingerling over there. Who made them anyway? Oh, no.

You can't leave him there. You've almost got everyone across safely. Okay. Now, Dennis, paddle back to the starting side alone and grab fingerling. Paddling.

Paddling.

Now, Brandon Thomas Fingerling back to the other side.

Oh, man. That's it. I don't even like camping. Go, Dennis. Hey, brother.

You look tired. Get it, Tommy. Okay. Paddling. Paddling.

Paddling. Paddling. Okay.

“Now, let me do a quick roll call to make sure everyone's here.”

Tommy, present. Granny Jay. No, Colonel Toots Thunderpaw. Okay. Everyone's all here.

Whoa. See. Problem solved. And all we have to do is stop focusing so much on getting them across one by one. Especially when some of them couldn't be left alone together because, you know, it's the wilderness.

Yeah, when we allow our minds to let go and our imaginations to wander, we came up with an idea that involved moving backwards in order to move forward.

And we never would have come up with that idea if we were so fixated on only moving forwards.

Guy Ross, I got a hand it to you. Congratulations. That was some good thinking. Thanks. Oh, Dennis, you're still there.

Are you all setting up your tents? No, not exactly. Can you come pick us up? Pick you up. Why?

“Well, I forgot I looked right into the dark.”

I can't stay out here. Dennis. And I'm afraid of the dark, too. Very as well. Okay.

Stand by Dennis. Will be right there. Thank you. Hurry up. I'm starving.

Where are you supposed to be?

We were all out here alone in the wilderness. Bye. Bye. Wow. Wow.

In the world, we'll be right back. Growingups. This message is for you. Hey, grownups. Spring is right around the corner.

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Hello, my name is Bowe, and I'm 6, my state is 4, Ruddall, and my "wow" is Dad. The potato head used to actually be with actual potatoes, bye. Hi my name is Garals, my name is Guilla, and I was in Jericho from IXL. My "wow" is that "wow" fiber pills, because it has tiny microscopic scales that when heat and agitation are applied, rubbed together, and get caught on each other.

That was spoken fiber, then bunches up to create a pill on fabric. They hide again as soon as they're present in a various, many spoken gingerbread door, every day to open Thomas Finger and Wolf Bees, and grandma D4's wrestling counters. Hi, my name is Troy, and I'm from Washington State, and my "wow" in the world is that dogs could spray their stinky spray, can't be behind them.

I'm Abigail from Hawk Point, and my "wow" in the world is that young domestic pigeons are called squeak or squeakers. My name is OB, and I live in Philadelphia. I live in the world, and I get young animals, squeak, going the day, snack kernel, and

Thank you, I live in the world, you have your day.

“Hi, this is Luna, and Vega, well from the club of Illinois, and "wow" is Australia's”

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