The Net and the Butterfly

for much of history, the brain has been something of a mystery. but research in recent decades has provided us with some great insights – not only into how our grey matter functions and continues to change over the course of our lives, but also into how we come up with new ideas.

by combining neuroscience with studies on our greatest thinkers, we get a better idea of the kind of habits and conditions that lead to breakthroughs. if innovative ideas are like butterflies, then there are ways to catch them. you just need to create some new habits and understand how big a role your environment and everyday choices can play. this chapter will walk you through the science behind breakthrough ideas as well as the many ways in which you can promote innovative thinking in your own life.

it’s the late 19th century, and hungarian newspaper editor lászló biró is once again glaring at an ink blot from his fountain pen that’s ruined his work. but his frustration will soon become the seed of a breakthrough – not just a minor improvement but a transformative leap in writing technology.

biró and his brother devised a way to combine the thick, smudge-free ink used in newspapers with a rolling metal ball, creating the first practical ballpoint pen. but their breakthrough was not just about the ink with the metal ball – this combination had been unsuccessfully attempted before. biró was able to rethink how the two interacted and found a way to insert a socket for the metal ball that solved all the clogging problems.

this is what breakthroughs are all about. they’re moments when the answer to a stubborn problem suddenly emerges, often in an unexpected way. whether it’s finding a way around a limitation, rethinking a process, or seeing something familiar in a new light, breakthroughs feel like the world’s shifted just a little – and it’s exhilarating.

breakthroughs come in four main flavors – eureka, metaphorical, intuitive, and paradigm – and each is unique and valuable. 

eureka breakthroughs arrive suddenly and clearly, like when james watt was strolling through the park and the solution for redesigning the steam engine suddenly struck him. typically, you’ll have been wrestling with a problem for some time, and then the eureka moment of insight comes when you’re relaxed and distracted.

metaphorical breakthroughs, on the other hand, often appear as puzzling dreams or analogies, needing interpretation before their full potential becomes clear. the inventor elias howe had a nightmare where he was threatened by long, pointy spears. when he awoke, he remembered that the speartips had holes in them, leading to his invention of the lockstitch sewing machine, which revolutionized the garment industry.

intuitive breakthroughs are quieter. they feel less like a bolt of lightning and more like an inner compass guiding you down the right path. thomas edison’s tinkering and re-tinkering with sound reproduction led to the phonograph. it was a subtle but transformative insight born of accumulated experience and experimentation. 

finally, paradigm breakthroughs, like einstein’s theory of relativity, shift the way we see the world. these are rare, and often the result of having a foundation of smaller discoveries that have been building upon one another over time.

each type of breakthrough has its own rhythm and rewards. whether sudden or gradual, all breakthroughs rely on a mix of preparation, curiosity, and the courage to embrace change when it comes. knowing this, we can cultivate a mindset open to possibilities, making us better equipped to catch those transformative ideas when they appear.

sometimes genius strikes when you least expect it. in 1965, keith richard of the rolling stones woke up to find a tape recorder next to his bed. he didn’t remember doing anything, but at some point in the night he’d woken up and recorded the guitar riff that would change the trajectory of his career. 

for some time already, his brain had been working on a problem – creating a hit song – but the answer only came when he stopped consciously trying. and guess what? there’s a science behind this kind of breakthrough. it all comes down to the interaction of two brain modes: the executive network (or en) and the default network (or dn).

the en is your focused, task-oriented brain. it’s what you use to plan, organize, and execute. the dn, on the other hand, is your creative, meandering brain – which is the source of epiphanies and those ah-ha moments in the shower. these networks are like teammates: the en sets the direction, then steps back to let the dn connect the dots in surprising ways. that’s why breakthroughs often happen when your en is off-duty, like when you’re asleep, walking, or daydreaming.

the key is learning to switch between the two brain modes. so if you want to give your own creativity a little nudge, try giving yourself purposeful tasks that set your mind to wander. low-pressure activities like cleaning, doing a jigsaw puzzle, or gardening free up your brain’s executive function, leaving more room for breakthroughs in your “genius lounge.”

walking, though, might be your best bet. walking stimulates blood flow, releases growth factors that help to build new brain connections, and, according to stanford research, can increase creativity by a whopping 60 percent. it changes your environment, adds new sounds and stimuli, and can spark ideas.

constraints, whether they’re self-imposed or otherwise, can also spur creativity. tight deadlines and budgets are often the mother of invention. think of how the comedy troupe monty python wanted to make a medieval spoof on the king arthur legend, but didn’t have the budget for horses. instead, they galloped around clopping coconuts together to mimic hoof sounds, and it became one of the most memorable gags in their movie monty python and the holy grail. 

constraints force you to think differently, encourage new perspectives, and push you toward inventive solutions.

creativity often feels like magic, but it’s really about making connections. steve jobs called this “associative thinking” – the ability to link experiences and ideas in new ways. 

a lot of breakthrough inventions came to life this way. take henry ford’s assembly line. it wasn’t born out of nowhere. ford connected the meatpacking industry’s moving hooks with bakeries’ conveyor belts to revolutionize car production. similarly, samuel o’reilly took thomas edison’s electric pen – a flop as a copying tool – and turned it into the modern tattoo machine by applying it to skin instead of paper.

the idea of associative thinking is beautifully straightforward: combine existing ideas in unexpected ways to spark breakthroughs. you don’t need to reinvent the wheel – just see it differently. whether you’re combining concepts or flipping them on their head, breakthroughs come from embracing curiosity and exploring the “what ifs.” keep this in mind: creativity is about recognizing that the dots are already there – you just need to connect them in ways no one else has.

you can take heart in knowing that your brain is constantly evolving. this process, called neuroplasticity, is the secret sauce behind breakthroughs. when you experience something new or even think a new thought, your brain physically rewires itself, creating new neural pathways. that’s why learning, exploring, and breaking out of routines are essential for sparking creativity.

by exposing yourself to fresh experiences – whether it’s trying new food, exploring a new route home, or diving into a foreign film without subtitles – you push your brain to create new connections.

for this to happen, you’ll want to avoid spending time on your smartphone. that’s because every email, text, or social media ping sparks a dopamine rush, which evolution designed to fuel curiosity and drive breakthroughs. if you’re stuck in a digital dopamine loop, you’re wasting that drive on distractions. 

instead, put the phone away and channel that energy into discovering new ideas. talk to people in different fields, read about unexpected subjects, or look to nature for inspiration. biomimicry, for example, has solved countless engineering challenges by mimicking biological processes. just take velcro, which was inspired by the way that burrs stick to your clothes when you walk through a field.

you can also try keeping a "breakthrough notebook." jot down ideas, observations, or lessons from your experiences. when you need inspiration, flip through it and see how your newfound neuroplasticity can connect the dots in ways you never imagined.

breakthroughs are often born from a blend of solitude and collaboration. insights often strike in quiet moments when you're deep in thought. but the input and feedback from a trusted circle of advisors – your "crew," so to speak – are vital for refining and expanding those ideas. this dual need to retreat and engage is central to innovation.

take the authors and friends j.r.r. tolkien and c.s. lewis, who benefitted from sharing their drafts with one another. or einstein’s olympia academy, a group where he could bounce ideas off his peers. these setups worked because they combined trusting, empathetic listeners with diverse perspectives. 

your own crew should include these facets. but it can even go a step further, by incorporating four key personality types. “mavens” who keep up with trends, “makers” who can turn ideas into reality, “theorists” with deep subject knowledge, and “generalists” who connect the dots between unrelated fields.

another helpful exercise is edward de bono’s “six thinking hats.” assign each person in your crew a “hat” that represents one of six ways of thinking. these are: facts, emotions, creativity, optimism, skepticism, and process management. applying these different perspectives will ensure a balanced evaluation of your breakthrough idea.

a good crew can help you overcome your personal fears, which can be a major roadblock to breakthroughs. unfortunately we are hardwired to have a negativity bias. what was once meant to keep us safe by picking up signs of danger can now amplify fear, making it seem impossible to take risks. 

fear of failure is a natural thing, but it can lead to procrastinating, catastrophizing, and paralysing self-doubt – all of which are breakthrough killers. but the truth is, failure is a fact of life. successful athletes are perhaps more aware of this than anyone. michael jordan missed half of his free throws during his career. the legendary footballer diego maradona had a 95 percent failure rate in goal shots during world cup games. 

the key here is to reframe failure as a learning experience. if you can flip this switch, and look at setbacks as a way to accumulate the kind of experience that will lead to future breakthroughs, you’ll be well on your way to cultivating the right mindset for innovation.

one exercise to this effect is clearly defining your goals and collecting evidence of your successes. write down five moments when you showed creativity or resourcefulness and pin them up where you’ll see them daily. do this for ten days, and by the end, you’ll start embracing a more positive self-view.

when you learn to forgive yourself for failures and shift your mindset, fear loses its grip. and that’s the key to moving forward, no matter how daunting the path may seem.

breakthroughs often feel like you’re fumbling in the dark, unsure of how close you are to success until it suddenly appears. this uncertainty is tough to deal with as it triggers the same stress response in our brains as physical pain. but breakthroughs require persistence, and a willingness to embrace the discomfort of not knowing.

there are different ways to go about this. one is to load up on certainty in other parts of your life. create rituals and habits that provide your everyday life with a solid, dependable foundation. this will give the creative part of your life more room for questioning certainty and more openness to exploring new possibilities.

another way to manage the weight of uncertainty is the "responsibility transfer" exercise. sit or lie down, take a few deep breaths, and visualize handing over your worries to a benevolent force – whether that’s god, fate, or the universe. imagine all weight lifting off your shoulders, leaving you free to focus on the present and trust that things will work out. this can help you stay centered and open to new ideas.

connecting your efforts to something greater is actually one of the author’s three supertools for navigating breakthroughs. a higher sense of purpose can fuel resilience and creativity, and give you the drive to overcome obstacles and stay focused. if benevolent forces aren’t your thing, you can try imagining what you’d like people to say about you at your 100th birthday celebration. reflecting on the legacy you want to leave can help clarify your mission and ignite your passion.

the second supertool for breakthroughs is altruism. helping others not only feels good but also shifts your focus away from your own fears, boosting creativity and well-being. altruism reduces stress, builds resilience, and promotes innovative thinking by fostering a mindset of connection and generosity. whether it’s volunteering, supporting a colleague, or simply offering kindness, acts of altruism can lead to surprising bursts of inspiration and problem-solving.

finally, we have our third supertool: meditation. meditation strengthens focus and reduces stress. when practiced regularly, it helps regulate emotions and recharge your mind, creating the space for new insights to emerge. it doesn’t need to be complicated; even small practices, like mindful breathing during daily moments of waiting, can have a profound impact over time. 

together, these three supertools – purpose, altruism, and meditation – build resilience and creativity. combined with the other exercises and insights we’ve covered, they’ll help empower you to tackle challenges, overcome hurdles and achieve your own breakthrough ideas.

in this chapter to the net and the butterfly by olivia fox cabane, you’ve learned that there’s a science to how breakthrough ideas can happen. breakthroughs stem from the co-working of the executive network part of your brain and the default network. to harness this connection, you need to know how to set the right goals and then let your mind wander, allowing for the unexpected connections that lead to breakthroughs. 

fear and uncertainty can stand in the way, as can the dopamine rushes that come from modern technology. but our brains are constantly growing and developing, and we can take steps to becoming more comfortable with uncertainty and seeking new answers to old questions. this is where the three supertools of higher purpose, altruism and meditation come in, helping you harness your resilience and creativity to lay the groundwork for your own major breakthroughs. 

okay, that’s it for this chapter. we hope you enjoyed it. if you can, please take the time to leave us a rating – we always appreciate your feedback. see you in the next chapter.