Daydreaming can lead to epiphanies, greater career purpose, research finds

The legendary tale of the business leader who had an epiphany that fundamentally changed his or her professional journey—turning hobbies, small observations or frustrations into billion-dollar ideas—is well known.

Julia Child writing her first cookbook at 50 and becoming a famous chef; Sara Blakely channeling frustration with undergarments to develop Spanx; Jeff Bezos leaving a successful Wall Street investment career to get in on the booming growth of the internet … the list goes on.

Epiphanies—sudden realizations that transform how people see themselves—have the potential to infuse people’s personal and professional lives with a renewed sense of purpose. The clarity one experiences from an epiphany often brings about conviction and newfound motivation.

Sometimes, a significant life event triggers an epiphany, such as a 9/11 survivor deciding to pursue her lifelong dream of going to nursing school. But other times, they arise unexpectedly and suddenly.

“For years, I was fascinated by the phenomenon of epiphanies, but I wasn’t sure how to study them, and I found the challenges that go with pursuing a new and uncharted line of research a bit daunting,” said Erik Dane, a professor of organizational behavior at Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis.

“I’m very glad that I ultimately decided to take a leap into this unexplored territory. Epiphanies are one of the most memorable and impactful psychological events that people experience in their lives—and my research has helped me understand when and why people experience epiphanies and how epiphanies shape the ways in which people navigate their careers, gain self-confidence, collaborate with colleagues, and serve as leaders in organizations.”

In his most recent study, published in the Journal of Management, Dane and co-authors—Markus Baer at Olin; Hannes Leroy and Aleksandra Wrobel at Erasmus University in the Netherlands; and Richard Swartz at Rice University—set out to study how one could cultivate these transformational opportunities to gain a heightened sense of purpose in one’s career, rather than waiting for lightning to strike.

Their findings indicate that people can increase their potential for experiencing especially strong work-related epiphanies—epiphanies that substantially transform how people view themselves vis-à-vis their work or career—by engaging in a playful type of mind wandering known as “problem-solving daydreaming.”

Through an initial study of 155 master’s in business administration (MBA) students and alumni—and two follow-up studies of business school students who were aspiring leaders—the researchers found that people who engage in problem-solving daydreaming are more likely to experience work-related epiphanies of greater strength.

This is especially true for people who have a compulsion to solve problems that defy easy, convenient solutions. People who possess these particular psychological characteristics are naturally curious and feel compelled to gain new knowledge. When their mind wanders, they tend to reflect upon and seek solutions for problems in their lives.

It’s the combination of these two processes—problem-solving, daydreaming and feeling compelled to solve problems—that makes people apt to experience especially strong epiphanies, the researchers found.

“Mind wandering is a particularly useful way to solve problems because it redirects attention away from existing solutions and helps people engage in imaginative thinking, entertaining brand new possibilities,” said Baer, vice dean of executive education at Olin and a professor of organizational behavior.

“Compared to working on problems in a more deliberate, formal manner, problem-solving daydreaming can be especially freewheeling and playful—qualities useful for solving problems.”

“When you daydream, you’re more likely to let go of assumptions—including unhelpful or outdated beliefs about yourself—and to think in flexible and innovative ways. And this opens the door to experiencing strong epiphanies,” Dane said.

Cultivating epiphanies

This line of research has practical applications for us all, Dane explained.

“By giving ourselves permission to reflect imaginatively on the current state of our career or life—and by prioritizing the importance of working through whatever tensions or confusions we might be experiencing in this regard—we can experience especially strong epiphanies and attain a heightened sense of career purpose,” he said.

Professional workshops and individual coaching sessions can help. In one of the studies reported in the article, the researchers conducted a “legacy workshop” with nearly 150 MBA students.

The stated goal of the workshop was to help participants identify how they could approach their careers and lives with greater self-determination.

Through a series of exercises, participants were led to reflect on important events and people in their lives, their own death, and their legacy within the context of their leadership journey. Importantly, participants were given sufficient time to let their minds wander as the exercise unfolded.

In this study, people who had a tendency to engage in problem-solving daydreaming and who reported a high compulsion to solve problems were significantly more likely to experience work-related epiphanies of greater strength while participating in the workshop.

In the final study, more than 100 business students from three universities were given the opportunity to participate in individual leadership coaching sessions. By design, these coaching sessions provide a customized personal development program for participants by promoting inquiry and self-reflection.

Through this study, researchers observed a direct link between problem-solving daydreaming and work-related epiphany strength. This effect was particularly strong for those who had a natural compulsion to solve problems. Additionally, participants who experienced strong work-related epiphanies reported a higher sense of career purpose—demonstrating the transformative power of epiphanies.

According to Dane, the findings also offer practical methods for career guidance and development programs in business schools as well as in professional settings.

“Many people are searching for direction in their professional lives. The good news, as our research demonstrates, is that gaining a stronger sense of career purpose does not require changing your circumstances or experiencing momentous events,” Dane said.

“The most important component is opening yourself to the prospect of personal change.”

“By creating environments that encourage reflective thinking and problem-solving daydreaming, institutions can facilitate moments of profound insight among students and professionals, ultimately fostering a greater sense of purpose and direction in their careers.”