Finding Your Boomerang with Random Inspirations

What does a boomerang have to do with modern inventions? This blog entry attempts to explain this connection in the specific context of valuable random inspirations.

In Trevor I. Williams' "A History of Invention: From Stone Axes to Silicon Chips," William E. Schaaf, Jr., and Arianne E. Burnette offer an interesting bit of scientific history that raises questions about the accuracy of common assumptions regarding science and technology.

According to Schaaf and Burnette, "a boomerang predating the earliest known Australian boomerangs was formed in southern Poland in the Obla-Zowa Rock Cave and is thought to be 21,000 years old."

So if you always thought that a boomerang was something inherently Australian, you were wrong. The boomerang is an invention that these editors could hardly believe was invented so long ago by people without the benefit of the knowledge of aerodynamics. This example should encourage you. Discover the immense power of the human brain to create new ideas and technologies. The power that you can unlock in your own brain is astounding. You cannot even begin to comprehend the possibilities.

How do you use this knowledge? What is the secret to finding your own boomerang?

It doesn't matter if you are dreaming of becoming the next Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, or a well-known inventor. You can contribute something to the world. The goal of developing a great invention is noble. You may not feel like a mental giant like Thomas Edison, who seemed to breathe out new ideas like most people exhale carbon dioxide, but your potential is great.

The secret to using your own creativity to develop new ideas is not really a secret. You can look for literature on writing, business, art, music, science, and other creative endeavors in which people present their approaches to channeling their ingenuity. However, you may never find someone else's approach that works for you.

The key to this process is connecting with your random inspirations, an approach practiced often by Thomas Edison. He kept a notebook and jotted down things during his dreams and sometimes right after taking a speed nap. He was mentally aware enough to recognize the importance of seemingly random thoughts.

The beauty of the new generation of kids that you can meet everyday in America's schools is that they are constantly providing randomness. Their cerebral energy is empowering. They inspire everyday adults to become more creative in the attempt to educate them. Adults who are not teachers can witness this by becoming a substitute teacher or a school volunteer.

Teachers are awesome innovators. They have tricks up their sleeves that would make some inventors jealous because they operate in a special world where innovation is demanded constantly and at the spur of the moment. There is no way to prepare for the events of any particular day in the classroom. A teacher has a bag of tricks that is always expanding.

When you seek out the process of expanding your mind and channeling just a portion of your brainpower, you will find staggering results. Part of the experience involves learning to understand your random thoughts. Then you have to also learn how to use them in productive ways. For example, writing this article is a random thought that flowered into an amazing passage. It was a trip of self-discovery for the author.

Tapping into your brain and all its potential ideas is a great adrenaline rush. If you can put your mind to use for the benefit of others, then you will have the opportunity to leave a legacy for mankind. Good luck on your mental adventure!
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1. WILLIAMS, TREVOR I. & WILLIAM E. SCHAAF JR. & ARIANNA E. BURNETTE A History of Invention. From Stone Axes to Silicon Chips.
London. Time Warners Books. 1999.