“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” - Albert Einstein
If you’re reading this blog, you probably make it a point to learn on a regular basis. You read books, blogs, and tweets like it’s your job. You can’t get enough new information. You’re too busy and too mature to waste time imagining.
When you were young, the last thing you wanted to do was learn (if you were a “normal” kid, hehe). You’d much rather build a fort or play dress up than do your multiplication tables.
It’s interesting how this changes.
The thing is, nobody made a name for themselves by learning more than everyone else. Your potential is limited if your goals are based on your knowledge because there’s only a finite amount of information you can learn.
The way you make a difference in this world is by imagining. Thinking of things that don’t even exist yet.
So next time you’re looking at your Google Reader or list of articles you want to read (even if The Curbside Marketer is one of them), don’t read them. Use that time to imagine. To create. Free yourself from the limits that intellect places on you and enjoy the freedom of imagination.
Enjoy.
Photo from Stanley
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Jackie,
This is probably my favorite post you've ever written!
As someone who has an eternal love for learning, I think you make some super valuable points! You can only learn so much, but how you use what you learn to think about things and imagine things can help you grow far beyond your capacity for knowledge!
love it.
This was such a great and inspiring post! Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all the information I'm constantly taking it, and you're right, some of that time should be used creating and imagining!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Katie! I know some people who will spend all day reading, but never stop to “imagine.” Sure, they could beat me on Jeopardy, but that doesn't help them “idea-ate” (I think I made up that word).
Problem solved. No more learning, just imagine 100%
Just kidding, but a balance of the two is definitely a good thing.
Great point Jackie,
I think learning should be there but we should make sure we do these 2 things firstly don't let the information overload and try to relate whatever we learn practically which will definitely give power to our imagination.
And yes we have to remember the tops guys most of them have learnt a lot practically not on blogs or books,for example as I am an Apple fan, Steve Jobs.
Right on, Akash. If you look at great minds in business or other areas, somewhere along the way they imagined a landmark idea that put them on their way to where they are today. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
The best learning comes not from hand-holding and guidance, but sowing the seeds of an idea and letting folks run with it. Which is exactly what you've done here, fella – nice job.
Sometimes we all wish there was a “10-step guide” to succeeding in social media, marketing, playing the trombone, you name it, but real success is never that easy, is it?
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Danny!
And we sure as heck don't all want to learn the trombone either
Haha! I'm still not quite sure why that was the first instrument that came to mind. I've never even played a trombone.
Great post. One suggestion. I wanted to subscribe to your blog, but it took me forever to figure out how (even though the large box in the top right corner says subscribe.) As a blog reader, I was looking for the orange RSS icon we have all come to know. Although the box is large and says subscribe, it wasn't what I expected, so it was hard to find. Might I suggest the use of the standard orange RSS icon?
Hi LJ, thanks for the suggestion! I hadn't considered how that may be confusing before, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. Any of you other readers run into this problem?
The best learning comes not from hand-holding and guidance, but sowing the seeds of an idea and letting folks run with it. Which is exactly what you've done here, fella – nice job.
Sometimes we all wish there was a “10-step guide” to succeeding in social media, marketing, playing the trombone, you name it, but real success is never that easy, is it?
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Danny!
And we sure as heck don't all want to learn the trombone either
Haha! I'm still not quite sure why that was the first instrument that came to mind. I've never even played a trombone.
Great post. One suggestion. I wanted to subscribe to your blog, but it took me forever to figure out how (even though the large box in the top right corner says subscribe.) As a blog reader, I was looking for the orange RSS icon we have all come to know. Although the box is large and says subscribe, it wasn't what I expected, so it was hard to find. Might I suggest the use of the standard orange RSS icon?
Hi LJ, thanks for the suggestion! I hadn't considered how that may be confusing before, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. Any of you other readers run into this problem?
“The thing is, nobody made a name for themselves by learning more than everyone else.” – You should add the caveat “Unless you are Ken Jennings.” Though even HE didn't know the difference between the holiday systems of UPS and FedEx. Still his name remains.
In all seriousness, though, this is a GREAT post. I think that the information highway is providing a complete saturation and recycling of thought like none we've seen before. TV was innovative and “intelligent” once. Now TV has Speidi and the internet has Perez Hilton…blech!! As a kid, I was a freak I suppose. I did both. I climbed trees with my skinned knees and THEN read a book in my thirst for knowledge. I've always thought there should be a very careful balance (yes, even at the age of 12 I was aware of these things…don't worry…I probably wouldn't have liked me at 12 either!) between the world of imagination and possibilities and the world of reality and limitation. Without firm a firm foundation in either you miss so much. You are an aimless dreamer with loopy thoughts or a stoic over-rationalized thinker. The place between is where the magic happens.
What a weird childhood. Hahaha,you know I'm just kidding! That's impressive that you understood that balance at such an early age. It is important to balance that line between imagination and logic, but, as usual, it's so much easier said than done!
What a weird childhood. Hahaha,you know I'm just kidding! That's impressive that you understood that balance at such an early age. It is important to balance that line between imagination and logic, but, as usual, it's so much easier said than done!