Make It Up From Nothing

When I say make it up from nothing, I do not mean to do things in a willy-nilly sort of way. To what I am referring is a state of mind or a place to think from. In fact, I am asserting that there is a good chance that most inventions that have had a profound impact on civilization have been created from nothing. The thought is that if you have nothing, you can create anything. If you have something, you will use what you have as a starting point. You will then be constrained by what you have. The challenge is getting to nothing. 

To get to nothing, I am suggesting that you have to think nothing. That means

no words, pictures or music. For most, this seems impossible. However, if you take the time to sit, relax and think nothing, you will be able to clear your mind of what you already know.

However, as a rule, we are taught to create using what we know as a starting point. I am asserting that if you start with what you know, you are starting at a negative (number) as opposed to starting at zero. Why? What you know has built in limits. Those limits can put you at negative possibility. You already know what is impossible. We justify those impossibilities by calling them the facts of life.

When you make it up from nothing, you extinguish all presuppositions. It means you do not know the limits of what’s possible. From there, it can be easier to think possibility. And remember that it is less important to try to figure out something positive. The value is getting to and coming from nothing. If you can hold that space, you will find that it is much easier to create anything.

This is a great exercise for getting past roadblocks. In no way am I implying that this is a source for problem solving. It is a way to invent the future from the future without the constraints of the past. When you can get to nothing as a first step, it is easier to consider what’s possible from a zero state. From the zero state, you may possess a clearer view of the outcomes minus the limits.

As a rule, we are taught to problem solve by walking through a process. When you make it up from nothing, you clear your head of all processes you know and think about the outcomes.

For example, if you and your significant other could commit to inventing an extraordinarily loving relationship from nothing, you are less likely to be sidetracked by the expectations that society has put on you. By creating it from nothing, the 2 of you make the rules of engagement instead of depending on preexisting examples from the media, friends or your parents. 

While I am not suggesting you forget everything you know, it would be a valuable exercise to let go of what you have learned about life or business in order to open your mind to what you don’t know you don’t know. Getting to nothing can be a more effective path than depending on the knowledge that has already been given to you. Nothingness is void of the presupposed limits and provides freedom for those willing to explore possibility. 

What do you think? I’m open to ideas.