How to Use your Imagination
How to Use Your Imagination
Your mind is made up of component parts. The parts operate as a system, each communicating with the others.
There is a hierarchy that puts the parts into an order of dominance:
- The most primitive part of the brain are the motor centres that drive physical action. All animals have highly developed motor systems and are capable of physical action.
- The next level up is the level of emotion. These are the basic drives that motivate action; desire, fear and anger. All animals are capable of desire, fear and anger.
- The next level up is the imagination. The imagination is what is known as the mind's eye. Humans have the most highly developed imagination. The imagination allows mankind to produce art, music, architecture, literature. No other animal has an imagination that can rival human beings.
- The highest level is the intellect, the most advanced function of the brain. This is the rational faculty; the logical brain. Humans have the most developed intellect on the planet. Their logical brain allows humans to think scientifically; to induce general principles and to deduce their consequences. This logical brain allowed them to invent spears, bow and arrows, ploughs, windmills, electric generators, particle accelerators, spaceships and iPhones. No other animal has an intellect to rival that of the human.
That is the way your brain is set up.
How to use your brain.
Use your brain top-down.
Let your actions always be guided by your intellect.
There are many ways to go wrong. Many people allow their actions to be driven by their primitive emotions.
For many people, if they are angry, they act on their anger; if they desire something, they act to immediately satisfy their desire (instant gratification); if they fear something, they run away from it.
This is an error so common that it is almost universal.
Consequently, many people say the wrong thing, eat the wrong things and fail to benefit from opportunities, because they are too fearful to try.
Many people allow their actions and emotions to be driven by their imagination.
Using the imagination to drive action can be a good or a bad thing, depending on which mind element you use in conjunction with it.
Whenever people link their imagination to their primitive emotions, then it becomes a bad thing. For example: "Imagination linked to fear" sets up fearful scenarios that will drive the mind insane with an endless series of horror stories.
If the Imagination teams up with anger, then the person becomes a very dangerous individual. When the imagination teams up with anger you end-up with an Adolf Hitler, who imagined the Jews were to blame for Germany's failures, and who imagined that the Arian Master Race should dominate the world.
But if the Imagination teams up with the higher intellect, then you have the capacity for a creative genius such as Albert Einstein, or Charles Darwin, or Steve Jobs, or Tim Berners-Lee.
When the intellect and the imagination are allied, then you have the capacity for a Martian explorer, or supercomputer, or satellite navigation system, or crypto-currency, or a Dyson vacuum cleaner.
And on a more basic level you;
- Will say what you should say, not what you feel like saying.
- You will eat what you should eat, not what you feel like eating.
- Even though you may be fearful to try, you will benefit from new opportunities.
The moral of the story is to operate your life on the highest two levels of your mind.
Run your life according the efforts of your intellect, combined with the imagination.
Be careful that you don't run your life according to the imagination combined with your primitive emotions, such as anger, fear, bitterness and revenge.
Use your mind the way it was designed to be used - top down.
Definition: top-down thinking
Context: personal development. Genus: mental process. Differentia: 1. Intellect sets clear aims. 2. Imagination designs practical steps to reach the aims. 3. Primitive emotions are monitored but do not steer choices. 4. Physical actions follow the rational plan without delay.
Show CG4D Definition
- Intellect sets clear aims
- Imagination designs practical steps to reach the aims
- Primitive emotions are monitored but do not steer choices
- Physical actions follow the rational plan without delay
Article Summary
You win when your intellect sets the aim and your imagination designs the route; guide feelings, act with reason, and you change fear into fuel for creative progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What does the article mean by "top-down thinking"?
Why should imagination work with intellect rather than emotion?
How can I spot when primitive emotions steer my actions?
What method helps pair imagination with logic when planning?
Does controlling emotion really improve decision making?
How does the brain hierarchy model aid creative thinking at work?
Why does unchecked fear damage the imagination?
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Did You Know: Key Statistics
World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2023 says creative thinking will rise by 73% in importance across all jobs by 2027, ranking second only to logical thinking. A 2024 McKinsey global study on decision making found teams that train staff to use a top-down thinking plan are 2.3 times more likely to post above-average growth in output than those that do not.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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