GigaOM

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious,” Albert Einstein once said.

False modesty? Perhaps. But Einstein actually placed a premium on curiosity — not intellect. Why?

Because, he pointed out, “we can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

In fact, he added, “the intellect has little to do on the road to discovery. There comes a leap in consciousness, call it intuition or what you will, and the solution comes to you and you don’t know how or why.”

And so this is why, when it comes to problem-solving and innovation: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Knowledge is limited. Imagination is boundless.
So next time you sit down to it, check your intellect at the door!

But you should still expect to be wrong, a lot:
“I think and think for months and years. Ninety-nine times, the conclusion is false. The hundredth time I am right.” — Albert Einstein

This compilation of Einstein’s thoughts comes to us today from Life Optimizer, a site we recommend for (often quirky) tips on how to be more productive. The full post includes many tips for “thinking better” and more creatively, two topics founders need always be vigilant of — and which we cover often here. See:

• How to Optimize the Founder’s Mind
• 3 Bibles for Problem Solving
• What do Richard Branson & Tina Fey have in common?
• What You Can Learn From Chess Master, Bobby Fischer.