“Every human has four endowments – self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom… The power to choose, to respond, to change.” ~Stephen Covey

Humans are fascinating, when you think about it, right? After all, we are the only creatures on this planet that think, plan and take action based upon those thoughts and plans.

Now, don’t get me wrong. We know that some animals are capable of basic problem-solving. Rats and mice, for example, can be taught to run a maze or perform simple actions. Dogs and even cats may intuitively react to our voices, gestures and facial expressions. In some cases, animals may use this intuition to perform more complex actions.  (And if you’ve seen that video of the dog who uses speech buttons to communicate with his owner – you’ll know how amazing this can actually be!)

And let’s not forget that apes can learn how to draw simple pictures, as well as to recognize words and use them to communicate simple concepts. Even crows are known to make and use tools. But, humankind is the only species on this planet that actually uses the power of thought to change the world.

How amazing is that?

The Power of Thoughts to Change the World

“To raise new questions, new possibilities, to regard old problems from a new angle, requires creative imagination and marks real advance in science.” ~Albert Einstein

The power of thought rests upon two different aspects of intelligence. On the one hand, there is analytical, logical thinking. Analytical thought systematically solves problems through analysis and logic. It uses learned and proven principles to get to a result. It can be thought of as linear thinking.

Creative thought is the other aspect of human intelligence. Creative thought is not concerned with analysis and logic. It seeks a result, but is completely unconcerned with process and principles. Instead, it relies on juxtaposition, viewpoint and connection to solve a problem. It seeks to see the world from a new and different angle and to challenge the norm. It can be thought of as non-linear thinking.

The power of creative thought is enormous. It has literally moved mountains. It has brought down governments. It has taken us to alien worlds. It has made us what we are today. Yet how has all of this occurred?

Creative thought has changed the world largely because of one specific power. You see, creative thought is the source of all ideas. It is ideas that mold and mutate the world, but they owe their existence to the ability to dream of and conceive revolutionary change. Without the dream, there are no ideas and without ideas, there can be no progress or positive change.

You see, creative thought has the ability to dissolve the boundaries between seemingly unrelated concepts. It takes things that seem unalike and through magical alchemy changes them so that they are no longer disparate. Connecting unrelated concepts in new ways is the very heart of creativity. It is also the birthplace of all the ideas that have transformed our race and made us what we are today. The creative force will continue to inspire innovation in the future as we carry on the process of growing and developing.

What do you think? Do you agree that creative thought is the secret to changing the world? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section, below.