Steve Jobs insisted on “WALKING MEETINGS” with business associates to resolve creative problems. Now Mark Zuckerberg and others from Silicon Valley are doing the same. Nikola Tesla took daily WALKS to mull over his ideas before he put them down on paper. Nietzsche said, “All truly great thoughts are conceived by WALKING.”

Science has confirmed that WALKING does awaken creative output by 60%. Interestingly WALKING indoors or outdoors produces similar results.  Creativity is stimulated because the brain uses multiple parts at the same time. What allows us to WALK, in the brain, allow us access to our cognitive abilities.

The WALKING also allows us to pause in our thinking, a sort of relaxation of thought. This cognitive pause helps to empty old ideas that are not working. WALKING is similar to another activity that is also known to boost creativity—meditation. Meditation is known to help one to “empty the mind.”

WALKING is a rhythmic activity, because each step and swing of the arms creates a rhythm.  Scientists have found that rhythm is known to lower brainwave frequency. This frequency is the same when one meditates. The lowest frequency is experienced right before sleep and while one wakes up. This alpha brainwave is the best state for creative thought.

Hippocrates wrote, “WALKING is man’s best medicine.” That is known for physical benefits but now seems to be excellent for our creative minds as well. Don’t just sit there and obsess about your problem, take a WALK.

STEVE JOBS, MARK ZUCKERBERG, NIKOLA TESLA, ARE PRETTY SERIOUS ROLE MODELS. SO GET OUT THERE AND EMULATE THEM, BECOME MORE POWERFUL CREATIVELY. It also can not hurt you physically. GO WALK AND MEDITATE AT THE SAME TIME A BUDDHIST PRACTICE.

Categories: PERSPECTIVES Philosophical Perspective

ron winnegrad

Ron Winnegrad has been a Perfumer and teacher for 46 years. As a perfumer, Ron has been able to express the world he sees through a rainbow of olfactive and emotive visions. As a teacher, Ron has helped others to see fragrance through his own multi sensorial lens.