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In [his] mind, madness. Thousands of competing contradictory impossible visions that make no sense all because they can't all fit together but they do fit together, he makes them fit together, this way today, that way tomorrow, as they're needed. As if he can make a new idea-machine inside his head for every new problem he faces. As if he conceives of a new universe to live in, every hour a new one, often hopelessly wrong and he ends up making mistakes and bad judgments, but sometimes so perfectly right that it opens things up like a miracle and I look through his eyes and see the world his new way and it changes everything. Madness, and then illumination. We knew everything there was to know before... Now we discover that there are so many ways of knowing the same things that we'll never find them all.

Orson Scott Card#185

PerceptionPerspectiveMistakesCreativityMindsetErrorInnovation

About this quote

What does it mean?
A person can construct flexible mental models to solve problems, sometimes succeeding miraculously and sometimes failing badly.
In plain terms
Making up new ways to see things can lead to big mistakes or big breakthroughs.
What can you take from it?
Flexible thinking is powerful but risky.

Where it applies

  • problem solving
  • artistic creation
  • leadership

Putting it to work

  • brainstorming
  • scenario planning
  • reframing

Questions to consider

  • How do you balance flexibility with consistency?
  • When has a new perspective changed your view?

Another view

Constantly changing perspectives can lead to instability or confusion.

More from Orson Scott Card

  1. A male does his best, reproductively, if he wanders and copulates as widely as possible. I've done the wandering. Somehow I missed out on the copulating.

    Permalink to quote #184
  2. You're only so sure you're right because they're so sure you're wrong.

    Permalink to quote #186
  3. He laughs, you cry... What strange animals we are.

    Permalink to quote #183

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