Keywords:: PermanentNote
Reference: R: Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini p. 86 - 88
People are more likely to remember things that are unfinished.
The brain feels a desire to return to incomplete narratives, unresolved problems, unanswered questions, and unachieved goals because it craves cognitive closure (Zeigarnik effect). It means that it will be "working" in the background until it will find.
It's connected to why times of slack increase creativity.
There are numerous applications for this mental peculiarity.
If you want people to recall your messaging, stop it before the end.
If you want to solve a hard problem leave it unfinished (or ask a question) and get back to it after some time. An example of this is using the MIQ method. You ask a question that you couldn't answer, release completely by doing something else, and then come back to it after some time with a different perspective.
In writing, if you 'hit the wall' don't try to push it. Leave it unfinished. Your mind will be working on it all the time. Ultimately it will figure things out and let you finish it in a better way.
When is it better to push through the wall, though? Can this wall just be resistance that needs to be overcome? R: The War of Art
This is why you should have multiple projects. To be able to do something when you become cognitively blocked on one. Additionally, different projects are reinforcing each other, giving themselves inspirations and building each other up.
PN: You need external input for serendipity: Horizontal projects feed each other with their ideas.
P: To persuade prime networks associated with your goal: If people remember things it means that they are in their attention. If they are in their attention, it means that they're treated as important. If they are treated as important, they'll be more likely to be persuaded on this topic
PN: Times of slack for serendipity, PN: Increase recall, solve problems, and increase creativity by leaving things unfinished (Zeigarnik effect): When you hit the wall during your practice, it's important not to try to push through it at all costs. Instead, it's better to release, let the unconscious mind do the work and get back to the task once you feel that you're ready.
You can use this brain feature to your advantage to increase recall, problem solving, creativity. More: PN: Increase recall, solve problems, and increase creativity by leaving things unfinished (Zeigarnik effect)
Your ideas need time and space to develop. Go for a walk, frequent coffeehouses and other liquid networks, and cultivate various hobbies. Don't worry. Your mind will be working on the ideas in the background, subconsciously. Remember, however, whenever a serendipitous idea pops into your mind, write it down immediately.
Completion (the Zeigarnik effect). Unfinished tasks linger in our attention because our minds craves closure. People who either planned to do something and didn't finish it or have been pulled away from a task they had been engaged in are more likely to think about it, remember details.
PN: Increase recall, solve problems, and increase creativity by leaving things unfinished (Zeigarnik effect): letting the unconscious mind work on it.
These are the moments when "your mind will often stumble across some old connection that it had long overlooked, and you experience that delightful feeling of private serendipity: Why didn’t I think of that before?". When you release, you are not stopping to think. Your unconscious mind continues to work in the background. [2]