Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge To Gain Success

Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge To Gain Success

‘Imagination is more important than knowledge’ - Albert Einstein: A true quote from one of the most intelligent human being in the history of human being. Do you agree that the true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination? Some may not have the same opinion with the quote, however, there are many examples that show the fact that imagination may be in par with knowledge, if not more important. Take Joanne K Rowling for example, the famous author of ‘Harry Potter’ book series who had created a brilliant and fascinating imaginary world that seems unthinkable to average person. Furthermore, her work was beyond the nature of the real world, as it blended into her fiction children storybooks. On the other hand, it started of from an idea, to communicate, over the distance, from two different places that has promoted the invention of telephone by Alexander Graham Bell. How did the idea to create art and work so amazing it changed the history of human kind? The secret rests on the power of mind’s eye called imagination. Imagination is defined as the ability to form mental images or picture. Intelligence is often related to the combination of imagination and knowledge. However, which one is more important to success?

Imagination occurs first before knowledge. When Wright Brothers’ invented the world’s first flying machine, the first idea that occurred to them was the desire to make man fly. Putting the idea into theory and theory into logic, it was almost impossible for man to fly without an instrument. However, nothing is impossible with proper knowledge. “Fairy tales are example from the result of imaginative mind. There are many other inventions that have been inspired through imagination” (Imagination, 2010).  Without imagination, knowledge will be a waste. Knowledge alone will not improve or create anything without imagination. Imagination contributes to the idea of the creation new things before knowledge plays the part where information and understanding necessary to implement the theory or idea to meet its objective.

Imagination guides the seeking of knowledge. It is the first stepping-stone to begin the journey towards success. It stimulates the initial idea to persuade you to think deeply about an idea or create something in your mind. To proceed with the process, knowledge is required to execute all the needs to convey the idea into reality. “In the process of acquiring new knowledge and skills, Imagination plays a big part. Both knowledge and imagination are interrelated to each other, both intertwined to create a recurring cycle. Both items helping each other to develop forward” (Leaton, 2009).Without imagination , people would have never thought of creating computers, kindles' or e-books and see where imagination has got us to today.

There are no limits to imagine things using your mind. You can think of anything you want to think and visualize the impossibility and the possibility of using your mind. Your imagination is beyond materialistic restrictions and you are able to do so without risking anything. “Imagination provides the ability to see things at any situation and enables a person to mentally explore the history and the present. It enables individual to explore a whole world inside the mind from different point of view. Imagination also gives the feeling of freedom in the mind from any obstacles. You can travel anywhere quickly without any limits in your imagination” (Remez, 2001). You can imagine cars that use anti-gravity system to travels on water, by air and land without physical contact with surface of objects or without tyres for example. Stacks of moveable houses that can be constructed anywhere above the ground. Moreover, people do not have to walk to go from place to place anymore; they will be flying to get to their destination.

Knowledge can be gained through studying but imagination must be exercised. Imagination can be developed through implementation in everyday life and personal individual talent. “A child who plays with their fantasy creates an imaginary world to act out what he have created with his imagination in make-believe situation in which helps him to exercise his imagination creativity” (Edwin Wong, 2010). With proper practise, one can build up powerful imagination. For example, children who love to play video games have a better imagination than adults who work based on data.  Conversely, knowledge is all about fact and understanding. It can be studied, read, learn, and experienced through life. You can simply gain knowledge by reading books, learning from experience and understand a situation.

Imagination wills the person to think. It gives the person a new view of the world. For example, how people poke and prod their body during Thaipusam celebration. It is in their imagination (belief) which enables them to think that they will not feel the pain. According to Sobel, “Imagination can be a powerful resource in relieving stress, pain and other unwanted symptoms. It can be used to produce calming, energizing or healing responses in one’s body”. Thus, imaginations control your thinking and influence the brain response toward your senses.

Knowledge guides to powerful imagination. Proper knowledge guides you to develop positive thoughts and sharpen their imagination. Thus, the level of knowledge influences directly to your imagination. Such is as; children may imagine the fantasy world like what they hear from fairy tales, like talking to animals and objects. Secondary, teenagers might imagine on entertainment and excitement in their life like being popular in school and excelling in education to pass their exams. Meanwhile, educated adults use their imagination on how to enhance technology, invent something or find a new alternative to expend their business or earn more money. “To be a successful creative author requires knowledge from constant reading. Enhance in level of knowledge and experience are needed to sharpen your imagination and improve creativity” (Sumaila Isah Umaisha, 2007).

Imagination is equally important compared to knowledge. They are both go hand in hand. Without imagination, the knowledge you have is weak. Without knowledge, the imagination that you create is also feeble. As said by Sumaila Isah Umaisha, “Other important factor in the creativity process is knowledge that helps to enrich the imagination. In other words, knowledge and imagination complement to each other. Knowledge gained through listening and reading could help to develop idea or image that have never seen or experience physically”. For example, imagination symbolised with dreams while knowledge symbolised with encyclopaedia. It requires both imagination and knowledge to define intelligence.

Imagination is merely forecast and unrealistic. Memories, daydreams, thoughts are all impracticable thoughts. On the other hand, knowledge is in a form of events that already occurs. It is a fact and static. In contra, imagination is about the outlook of something, or circumstances that potentially to happen or might not happen at all. Hence, it makes imagination unreliable. According to Remez, “Imagination is a capacities of the mind to build mental scenes, objects or an event that is unreal, are not present or history”.

Everybody can imagine but not all have the knowledge. Imagination is not necessarily true. It can be artificial because anyone can have imagination. Only an imagination that guided with appropriate knowledge in individual creates advance inventions and ideas of intelligence or otherwise it is worthless. “Knowledge is a powerful tool that gives people skills, confidence and authority to act and to become leader” (Masson, 2007). For instance, when someone asks you the different between moon and earth, you can imagine they are both round in shape. Applying knowledge to the imagination, you can characterize the moon as rough in surface, no organic livings, no air, and no gravity, whereas the earth consist of organic and non-organic living, covers with 70% water and etc. The facts that you apply into your imagination is knowledge that enable you to make the imagination as useful and factual.

Imagination leads to negative thinking. According to Remez, “Imagination can leads to suffering, incompetence, difficulties, failures and unhappiness if people inclined to think negatively”. For example, when you imagine yourself failed to fulfil the work handed to you, it will automatically turns your sense, mind and emotion to think of worse thing that might happen like being fired by your boss for the incomplete task. All the negative thinking will linger and play a trick in your mind to make you feel more and more misery and give up before trying. In other word, imagination could put you mind under stress when you think of the situation in other way round.

            In conclusion, imagination and knowledge plays important rule towards achievement of success. One requires both imaginative mind and substantial level of education or knowledge to achieve their goals in life. It is not about which one is more important but it is the level of capacity one should exercise and gain in order to lead to success.

Reference

Edwin Wong (2010)
Build: Build your imagination. Retrieved March 17, 2010 from http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20100108190306/Article/index_html

Imagination. (2010)
Retrieved March 14, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagination

Leaton R. (2009)
Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge. Retrieved March 13, 2010, from http://www.articlehealthandfitness.com/articledetail.php?artid=32864&catid=423&title=Imagination-Is-More-Important-Than-Knowledge

Masson J. (2007)
Knowledge Is Important-However-Doing It Is Critical. Retrieved March 14, 2010, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Knowledge-Is-Important-However-Doing-It-Is-Critical&id=433775

Remez S. (2001)
The Power of Imagination. Retrieved March 13, 2010, from http://www.successconsciousness.com/index_000007.htm

Sumaila Isah Umaisha (2007)
Enrich your imagination (tips). Retrieved March 18, 2010, from http://everythinliterature.blogspot.com/2007/08/enrich-your-imagination-tips.html

Sobel D. S. (n.d)
How to Use Your Imagination to Improve Your Health. Retrieved March 17, 2010, from http://www.healthy.net/scr/Article.aspx?Id=419