Are great thoughts generated by a Waldspaziergang?
In the early 90’ies I was the Medical Coach for a German Pro Sport Team and I traveled with the team to all the league games and my job was to optimize human performance throughout the season and preparing the players for their games. Prior to each of the league games and approximately 3-4 hours before the game started, the team usually had a snack and went for a Waldspaziergang, “A Walk in the Park or in the Woods”.
25 years later Pro Sport Teams are still using a “Walk in the Park” as their preparation before the games, and more as a ritual, not knowing the true benefits of their stroll in the woods.
Experimental research is showing us now that walking opens up the free flow of ideas and creativity (Oppezzo, Schwartz, 2014). Walking has large effects on creativity and creative output. Gentner (2002) called it “The Engine of Creativity”. To have the full benefit and the mind-freeing quality it is suggested that people should walk at their natural gait rather than a forced stride, which demands more cognitive attention.
As German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1889) wrote “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking” and Steve Jobs had his regular strolls in the neighborhood of Palo Alto generating ideas, concepts and greatness from a mind free of thoughts and limitations.
Conclusion: Give your ideas some legs and walk yourself to the top.
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