What the Right Brain said about the Left Brain: can’t live with it; can’t live without it.
What the Left Brain said about the Right Brain: I can live without that.
The Left Brain doesn’t “do” ideas and it will try to talk us out of every good one we ever have with its cynicism, judginess, negativity, fear, and the million reasons why it won’t work.
It’s not all bad, though, because the Left Brain has the skills of implementation, something the Right Brain kind of sucks at.
When we need to get from point A (idea) to point B, when we need to get to Ta-Da!, the Left Brain is the one we need to tap. It has just the thing for completion--linear, analytical thinking.
Left Brain loves to have a job, needs to have a job
It relishes a job with a clearly defined outcome, even though it may have initially resisted the idea. Once it gets its marching orders, the Left Brain is all in and will tackle the thing with gusto.
It's good at this job that supports bringing ideas to fruition.
The trick is to also keep it busy during the creative process, during the brainstorming, during the first draft, during the exploratory trials. Keep it busy during the time spent looking for the light switch and anticipating the light bulb moment of a fresh idea.
A mindless, boring job
It needs a job while the Right Brain whips up its special sauce. A mindless, boring job to keep it quiet and let Right Brain work in peace.
This mindless, boring job could be driving, showering, washing dishes, dancing the Hustle, doing zentangles or, my favorite, hiking.
The key for me is to be intentional, to know that when I go out for a walk in the woods that I’m asking the Left Brain to do its job of moving my arms and legs, keeping me upright and moving forward, maintaining a steady pace. I invite it to get involved in the physical aspects of the walk. That's its mindless, boring job, but it's all in, all day.
Once it’s doing its thing, then I give the Right Brain something to work on, too. I ask it to come up with ideas for whatever problem I’m trying to solve in the moment. And then I wait, pen and notebook easily accessible.
Because the ideas come fast and unfiltered without fail and without judgment when the Left Brain is busy with its chore.