In a world where linear thinking often dominates, it’s easy to overlook the power of tangents. The art of diverting attention momentarily from the task at hand can be incredibly powerful in the creative process. Whether you’re brainstorming a new business idea, writing a novel, or designing a product, taking a detour can often lead you to the main idea you were struggling to find. Tangents, when harnessed properly, can become a launching pad for creativity. In this article, we’ll explore how this seemingly random way of thinking can unlock groundbreaking solutions.
Why Tangents Matter
While tangents are typically associated with distractions or off-topic conversations, they have a remarkable ability to inspire new insights. Here’s why:
- Breaking Free from Conventional Boundaries
By straying from the topic at hand, your brain makes new connections that might not have been possible with a more structured approach. These moments of free association allow for the flow of ideas that, at first glance, may seem unrelated but could be the very key to your next big breakthrough. - The Role of Cognitive Flexibility
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to switch between different concepts or perspectives. When you entertain tangents, you’re enhancing this flexibility. Studies have shown that individuals who embrace unconventional thinking are often better at solving complex problems and coming up with original solutions (Fiedler et al., 2019). - Inspiration from the Unlikely
It’s easy to get caught up in the conventional methods of solving problems. However, when you allow yourself to be diverted by tangents, you expose yourself to new possibilities. Take Steve Jobs, for example. His approach to design was often non-linear, pulling inspiration from various domains, including calligraphy and Zen philosophy, which ultimately revolutionized the tech industry (Isaacson, 2011).
How Tangents Unveil the Core Idea
1. The Art of Free Association
Free association is a technique often used in psychology to explore unconscious thoughts. It involves saying whatever comes to mind without censoring yourself. In the same way, brainstorming tangents can lead you to uncover underlying concepts that you may have missed in a more focused approach. Sometimes, the initial detour leads you directly to the “Aha!” moment.
Example: Imagine you’re working on a new social media platform and your team discusses how to integrate virtual reality. As you drift off-topic and chat about the latest VR headset designs, someone mentions how certain user interfaces could benefit from a more minimalist design. This tangent sparks an entirely new perspective, one that leads you to a revolutionary user interface design.
2. Innovation Through Serendipity
Some of the most groundbreaking inventions have come about by accident. Consider the case of penicillin, discovered when Alexander Fleming accidentally left a petri dish uncovered. Similarly, allowing yourself to explore tangents can lead to unexpected breakthroughs. What begins as a trivial distraction can evolve into an idea that shifts the entire trajectory of your project.
Example: You’re creating an e-commerce website for a client, and a tangent conversation about mobile app interfaces leads you to think about push notifications in a completely new way. What seemed like an off-hand remark opens your eyes to the potential for personalization in notifications, leading to a feature that dramatically improves user engagement.
3. Cross-Disciplinary Insights
When you’re stuck, sometimes it’s helpful to take inspiration from an entirely different field. A tangent may lead you to explore something completely outside your industry, such as design principles from architecture or narrative structures from literature. These cross-disciplinary insights can bring fresh perspectives to problems that may seem unsolvable within your own field.
Example: A software developer struggling with user experience may take a tangent and start reading about the psychological effects of color in marketing. This leads them to reconsider their website’s color scheme and redesign it for better user interaction based on psychological research.
How to Make Tangents Work for You
While tangents can be beneficial, they need to be managed effectively to avoid becoming pure distractions. Here are a few strategies for turning them into productive tools:
1. Create Space for Exploration
Schedule brainstorming sessions where tangents are encouraged. Let your team or your mind wander freely, knowing that the goal is to explore, not necessarily to focus immediately on the task at hand. If you’re working solo, keep a journal or note-taking app handy to jot down off-the-wall ideas. These often lead to the most exciting breakthroughs.
2. Embrace Divergent Thinking
Divergent thinking is the process of generating many unique ideas. Encouraging divergent thinking fosters the environment where tangents thrive. By encouraging yourself or your team to think expansively, you’re more likely to stumble upon creative ideas that connect back to your main goal.
3. Harness Technology for Idea Management
Tools like mind mapping software or collaborative platforms like Miro allow you to capture tangents and see how they interconnect. This can help organize seemingly unrelated thoughts and refine them into concrete ideas that can be implemented.
4. Set Boundaries for the Tangents
While exploring new ideas is crucial, it’s important to know when to rein yourself in. You don’t want to stray too far from your main project. You can use the 20/80 rule—spend 80% of your time on the core project and use 20% of your time for tangential exploration. This keeps you on track while also giving you space for creativity.
Conclusion: The Future of Tangents in Innovation
Incorporating tangents into the creative process can transform how we approach problem-solving. They offer fresh perspectives, innovative breakthroughs, and serendipitous discoveries that structured thinking often misses. Whether you’re brainstorming new solutions, innovating on existing concepts, or simply trying to overcome a creative block, the power of tangents can reveal the main idea you’ve been searching for all along.
References
- Fiedler, K., et al. (2019) Cognitive Flexibility and the Benefits of Divergent Thinking. Journal of Cognitive Psychology. 31(4), pp. 345-357. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com (Accessed: 29 July 2025).
- Isaacson, W. (2011) Steve Jobs. New York: Simon & Schuster. Available at: https://www.simonandschuster.com (Accessed: 29 July 2025).
- Moise, L., et al. (2020) New Immunoinformatics Tools for Swine: Designing Epitope-Driven Vaccines Predicting Vaccine Efficacy and Making Vaccines on Demand. Frontiers in Immunology. 11, article number 563362. Available at: https://www.frontiersin.org (Accessed: 29 July 2025).
Reflection Is a Thinking Technology 
