From Crisis to Creativity: Unlocking Growth Through Imaginative Thinking

In a previous article, we began exploring the value of creative thinking and its impact on a person’s inner life and behavior. Creative thinking can turn a struggle into a springboard.

As long as life is smooth and routine, people typically don’t feel the need to reexamine their decision-making processes or habits. Consequently, the potential for significant breakthroughs or transformation is limited. In contrast, moments of crisis offer a powerful opportunity to reassess one’s behavior, find new solutions through creative thinking, and tap into deeper inner resources.

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch points out that the Hebrew word yissurim (suffering) shares a root with yeshurim (straightening). Hardships, he explains, are a way for a person to realign with higher values, redirect their path, and achieve better outcomes. If the individual views the difficulty as a chance for growth, they will emerge stronger, and use it as a lever for progress.

In a time of crisis, a person should acknowledge: "This is a crisis- but also a challenge. My job is to find the leverage to rise."
By directing the mind in this way, we create space to grow.

Successful people are often those who have adopted this very approach. When they’re laid off, they don’t fall into despair, but see it as an opportunity to pivot into a better, more fulfilling field. If they miss a flight, they find a silver lining in the delay.

The average person, when fired, imagines the worst- loss of income, respect, purpose- and becomes deeply frustrated. But the creative thinker opens their mind to alternatives: "Now I have time for hobbies... I can find joy even with a tighter budget... I’ll spend more time with my family." They focus on what can be gained, rather than what was lost.

We see from this that it’s not the reality that determines our experience, but where we choose to focus. The reality is that both individuals were fired. But whether they dwell on the closed door (despair), or on the new door that might open (hope), is entirely up to them.

Even the Hebrew word “mashber” (crisis) shares a root with shever, which can mean sustenance- as in the verse “There is grain [shever] in Egypt.” The word mashbir, meaning "provider," also comes from the same root. This teaches us that a crisis can become a source of growth and nourishment, but only if we’re open to seeing it that way.

The birthing chair in Hebrew is also called a mashber- a reminder that new life is born from pain. A crisis can mark the beginning of something new.

This is reflected in the popular saying: "When one door closes, another opens." Too often, people stare at the closed door for so long, they don’t notice the new one swinging wide.

Template Thinking vs. Creative Thinking

One major obstacle to creative thinking is our reliance on template thinking- our natural tendency to interpret reality through familiar patterns and past experiences. This causes us to become stuck in certain habits or viewpoints.

For example, someone who believes that “people can’t be trusted” sees the world through that lens. They feel threatened in social situations, avoid collaboration, and isolate themselves. Instead of reevaluating their mindset, they continue reinforcing it- even when it leads to more work and more stress.

When this person faces a problem, they don’t even consider trust-based solutions. Their creative options are limited by their internal narrative.

The risk of rigid thinking is that the person reaches conclusions quickly and automatically which saves time, but at the cost of growth. Their decisions become automatic, shaped by habits rather than insight.

Consider someone who shows up to a meeting and notices the other party arrive 10 minutes late. Based on past assumptions, they instantly conclude: “This person is unreliable. I can’t work with them.” They don’t pause to consider other explanations or see the bigger picture. They’ve already written the ending, and their negative attitude may create the very outcome they feared.

This isn’t intelligence at work, but mental rigidity. Many people aren’t ruled by positive imagination, but by the grip of fear and frustration. Their conclusions do not stem from deep reflection, but from pre-set mental rules that they mistake for truth.

The Power of Imagination

Imagination plays a significant role and frees us from the "logical" limitations that often hold us back from seeing new solutions.

The goal isn’t to throw logic out the window, but to allow imagination lead, while implementing practical ideas. First, explore every possibility, and then evaluate what’s realistic.

A Thought Exercise: Navigating Job Loss

Let’s imagine someone has just been laid off. First, we ask the imaginative mind: "What would you like to feel right now?"

• “I don’t want to regret being fired.”

• “I want to feel hopeful.”

• “I want to be happy and find an even better job.”

Now, we bring in the logical mind, not as the captain, but as the crew. We ask: "What can I do to feel that way?"

Possible answers:

• Deepen family connections.

• Enjoy hobbies.

• Limit job hunting to two focused hours a day to avoid burnout.

• Take a part-time job to stay productive.

• Dedicate time to daily spiritual study.

• Invest in physical health.

This is the ideal flow: Crisis → Imagination → Logic.

Let your imagination unlock the doors to your next opportunity.

Suffering from depression, anxiety, or a low emotional state? Contact the "Nafshi B'Sheilati" department at Hidabroot. For consultation, call 073-3333331 or email sarap@htv.co.il