Making Room For Insights In 4 Steps: ARIA Model's Recipe for Clarity
Your Tool for Recognizing Insights as They Form
Insights are not coming all the time when we them to come 💡
In the book “Your Brain At Work” by D. Rock, I found an interesting model, called ARIA, which describes the stages of an insight, so you can recognize the process in real time, and provides practical techniques for increasing the likelihood of insight.
ARIA model stand for:
Awareness: As soon as we become aware of a problem or dilemma, this triggers a process in our brain that allows us to make sense of it.
Practical advice: Do not focus too hard, quiet the mind of other thoughts, and simplify the problem as much as possible (i.e. describe it in as few words as possible)
Reflection: Once new information is presented, give yourself some distance from the problem. While this may seem counterintuitive, one of the best ways to encourage insights is to stop thinking about a solution.
Practical advice: The objective is to see your impasse from a high level, not to get detailed.
Insight (Illumination): This is where the magic happens. At the moment of insight, new neural synapses are formed, which connect dots and make sense of the information we’ve gathered, and compared with a lifetime of memories.
Practical advice: Recognize and celebrate the insights in you and in the others! They come with an energetic punch. You can see them on people faces, hear it in their voices and in their body language. Pause and celebrate this. Encourage sharing the insights that others have and yours with others as well.
Action: The action phase is out opportunity to harness the energy released upon the formation of an insight. This energy is powerful but short-lived. While the “high” is present, people will be more courageous and motivated to commit to certain actions. However, this energy is like inertia — it will stay there and turn to nothing unless moved. There can be a motivational drive to act on what we’ve suddenly and dramatically realized, but we have to tap into it in the moment.
Practical advice: Make a quick statement to yourself about what you’ll do with your insight once you had it. If you’re in a team meeting, get the entire group to commit to next steps as soon as the insight is shared.
Bottom lines:
The ARIA model can be used on onself or on others.It helps you remember the brain processes involved in insights. Allow yourself for quiet time and inward reflection, relax and insights will come.
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Resources:
Dr. David Rock: “Your Brain at Work”