Alok Chaturvedi

Tag: inspiration

  • My Newfound Thinking Cap

    I am often stuck on some problem in my work as a software developer, while other times I am unable to think of a topic to write about on my blog. In such moments, I feel the need for a thinking cap. Recently, I realized that I had the thinking cap all along and not just me: you, he, she, they; we all have it and let me tell you how you can effectively use it.

    I thought of an idea of satire in February this year, 2025; however, I was able to finish the blog just last week, in mid-July, in the same year. The period between conception and creation was about five months. Five months indeed might be a long time, but if you ask me, I still believe that I am happy to have finally finished it, because for a long time, I was not going anywhere with the story. By the way, if you are interested in the story in question, you can read: Don’t You See, I am Trying to Save You. Suddenly, I had an inspiration last week, and it was clearer to me how my story ends, and with the inspiration, I finished the story.

    When the inspiration came, I was wearing a thinking cap, and I didn’t even know about it. I have been using that cap, yet I was not deliberate, and hence, unable to utilize the full capacity of my thinking cap. It took me years to appreciate its powers, and yet it’s not an easy task to be able to reap maximum benefits. Let me break the suspense and introduce you to the thinking cap.

    My thinking cap is walking alone, driving, or riding a bicycle. Given that I am not talking to anyone either directly or via my phone, not listening to any music or podcast. In essence, my higher mind is completely free while some other parts of my brain are busy with routine tasks such as ensuring I am not falling off the road or hitting a vehicle next to me or putting my body in any kind of danger. In this state, thoughts flow freely. It may appear simple, but it is anything but simple. My brain doesn’t want to work as a result; whenever I am opting for walking, I get a strong urge to listen to any music, podcast, or audiobook. I even get an urge to take all my pending calls, and believe me, I take most of my calls while walking. While driving, there is no option to entertain my brain, yet I do not get a lot of driving opportunities. Nevertheless, if I can tame my mind and not entertain it, I achieve the state where thoughts start inundating me. Our minds crave distraction, but it’s in those quiet, undistracted moments that genius whispers. Yet there is another difficulty other than the difficulty of will power.

    Whenever I am in a thinking-cap state by the act of walking, cycling, or driving, I don’t have conscious control over my thoughts. The only thing guaranteed is that there are a lot of them. I remember many times enduring depressing thoughts originating from some trivial incident of wrongdoings, such as a disagreement with a colleague, someone not following a traffic rule, some wrongdoings of the distant past, etc. Sadly, there is no solution to this predicament. The only solution I can think of is to maximize the thinking cap time. Let’s say that on average 25 percent of time, happy and creative times are flowing into my higher mind, then spending ten hours a week will give two and a half hours of creative time which I can translate into good work if I can follow up on the head start, and that is another challenge of the thinking-cap state, the thoughts are ephemeral.

    Willpower is essentially required to maximize the creative time, but following up with the creative time is even more important; otherwise, the two and a half hours I calculated earlier would amount to a big zero if I am unable to follow up on my thoughts. It so happens that the thoughts that flow in the thinking-cap state don’t last long and dissipate like a dream sequence. It is highly important to note down creative thoughts. When I had the inspiration last week for closing my satire, I straight away opened my laptop and finished writing; however, it was a coincidence that I was able to use my laptop to write, after walking. It may not be the case, always. To this, I have a solution: note apps. I have downloaded an app that is just there to note down inspirations like these so that I can work on; however, something tells me that even that won’t be sufficient. I have a feeling that if I write it down and don’t look at it again for months, I will lose interest in the inspiration, and it won’t be that appealing to me to drive me to write about it. Hence, a recommendation to self and all, begin the work on your inspiration within twelve hours of achieving it.

    Let me summarize the effective ways to use our thinking cap:
    1 – Give the thinking-cap state enough time, perform activities like cycling, driving, and walking without any music, podcasts, etc.
    2 – Once the inspiration comes, write it down as soon as possible, preferably before you forget all about it.
    3 – Start the work on your inspiration within twelve hours of the inception of the idea.

    Next time, if you are stuck with a work problem, looking for an idea to draw, write, or compose, or seeking a business idea, try this thinking cap, make effective use of it. Next time you feel stuck at work, in art, or in life; take a walk without your phone. Your best ideas might be waiting at the next corner.

  • The Bright Side

    Daniel handler popularly know by his pen name Lemony Snicket, in his literary work describes two types of person, one an optimist and the other who is not an optimist, if an optimist had his one arm lost to a chain saw he might say, in a pleasant and hopeful voice, “Well, this isn’t too bad, at least nobody will ever ask me whether I am right-handed or left-handed,” but a non optimist would say something like “Aaaaah! My arm! My arm! ”
    The reaction of an optimist does sound impractical however this is me, I’m an optimist as per the description of Lemony Snicket and it is very logical to be an optimist since no one can alter what has already happened so only step going forward is to make best use of what is left with us. I’m a methodical person, I go where logic takes me.
    I was born and brought up in a village in Bihar, that lacked many cultural facilities. It’s true that that I could not get to learn any musical instrument or learn any sophisticated sport or read world class literature while growing up although because of the same background I turned out disciplined, strong as well as athletic and for the same reason I believe that I had a blessed childhood. As and when the opportunities arrived I made a good use of it. In college I learnt and mastered badminton. In Infosys I learnt to swim and to play tennis. I had read more than 60 books till now since I started reading somewhat close to the age of 15. There is no such thing as missed opportunity.
    Had I been doleful for what I did not have , I would not have appreciated what I got during the journey of my life. Even during my youth I missed a few and got a few. I failed to get a good college right after 10+2 yet I was happy because based on my ranks in exam I got almost free classes in 13th batch. In college I studied mining engineering but due to extreme lack of opportunity I moved to IT, now I feel that moving to IT sector was the best decision of my life. I feel that I meant to be in corporate, had I gone to mining , I would have felt that I was meant for mining. These outlooks are really a plus for me but the biggest advantage of my optimistic attitude is that wherever I go, I’m at home. Feeling of homesickness is something alien to me.
    Being an optimist and appreciating what one has may or may not directly contribute to success however it will definitely make one a biophile and a biophile is the luckiest person alive because for him life is a joy ride.