Never Forget How to Fly

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.”  — J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

Peter Pan is an alluring character because he embodies the wonder and joy of a child. Unfortunately, the more knowledge you gain, the more your innocence is lost. This is a double-edged sword. On our own quest for knowledge, we are also aware this can lead to greater unhappiness. Growing up and learning about the world is inevitable, but there are lessons we can take from Peter in order to maintain the joy and adventure in our lives.

The world is new to children, which comes with its own perspective of wonder. Aha-experiences – a sudden shift from ignorance to understanding – increases motivation in children. A study found that when children (aged 6–10) learn something new and have enriching learning experiences in a museum, it can help predict their engagement in exploring the exhibition¹. Excitement in learning something new and the drive to explore can help keep things fresh as an adult. This translates to viewing everything as an adventure. Peter Pan did this naturally, famously saying, “To die will be an awfully big adventure”². Approaching all situations with a positive attitude is a huge reason for his allure (and survival). Research supports this with higher ratios of positive interactions resulting in increased performance³. A positive outlook also helps reduce anxiety and fear of the unknown.

Obviously, we fully support maturation and knowledge seeking. It is what our newsletters are about. But with knowledge comes burden, so you must work to keep your joy in the day-to-day. Retain your sense of humor. Chase your hunger for adventure. Make time to play. Certainly grow up, but never forget how to fly.

Action: Make time to play this week, whatever that might look like.

Further Reading:

1. First insights into infants’ and children’s aha-experiences: A parent report study
2. J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan
3. The Role of Positivity and Connectivity in the Performance of Business Teams A Nonlinear Dynamics Model