Insight (inner-sight). You'd imagine all you need to do is think, introspect. But I believe there's a preceding step causing you to miss many insights and aha moments.

You can divide insights, aha moments, into two types: ones you discover yourself and ones you are shown. More accurately, insights caused by an internal trigger (pro-active) and ones facilitated by an external help (reactive).

You create an insight internally when you search and discover a new way to connect existing facts, pieces of knowledge.

An externally triggered insight happens when you perceptually observe some new fact. At times it is simply observing a new object of phenomenon. Other times you are shown something new or a new way of looking at the already familiar.

Underlying all these aha moments and insights, both the self-generated and the ones "given" to you by other people or perceptions, there is one fundamental. It's the "must have" that enables you to see, discover, create, posses (and enjoy) all aha moments, all insights.

An insight is a volitional thing.

It doesn't just happen to you passively. You have to decide "I want to discover something new". Then it can (though not guaranteed to) happen, and it will happen more, and more often.

An internal or external trigger occurs and you see something new. You consciously or subconsciously make a connection and see a nugget of (a potential for) new knowledge being born.

Whatever's the trigger, if you want to discover more insights and experience more aha moments, the most important part is the decision to want it.

"Fortune favors the prepared mind" -- Louis Pasteur

Make this a standing order and you will discover more insights, experience more aha moments.

I am an insight seeker and an aha moment lover. I think it's a combination of my natural affinity from a very young age, combined with a positive reinforcing experience spiral growing my volitional attention.

What is your story and experience? Please share as a comment below: