Tinker Dabble Doodle Try

by Srini Pillay

This book opened up something important for me: the idea that focus isn’t everything. In fact, our minds need both focus and unfocus to really thrive. There’s power in the spaces between effort—those moments when we tinker, doodle, or let the mind wander.

Tinkering helps us loosen our grip. Instead of forcing solutions, we play with them. Same with daydreaming—what the book calls reverie. It’s not a waste of time, it’s where some of our best ideas come from.

What fascinated me most was learning about the Default Mode Network—the part of the brain that kicks in when we’re doing “nothing.” Turns out it’s busy connecting memories, imagining the future, and making sense of our inner world. It’s where creativity and self-awareness quietly bloom.

I also loved the idea of auto noetic consciousness—those flow states where we forget who we are and become something new. It reminded me of that Lao Tzu quote: “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

The takeaway? Breaks matter. Letting go matters. Positive disintegration—even anxiety—can be part of growth. Creativity doesn’t only live in effort; it often comes when we give ourselves space to wander.