Today’s quote of the day is:
“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.” (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.)
Let’s take a moment to consider: what does ‘insight’ mean to you? For me, an insight is a new thought that provides a deeper, more accurate perspective on something or someone.
Defining Insight: An insight doesn’t merely rearrange what we know—it transforms how we understand. When insight strikes, it’s like a light turning on in a previously dark room. Suddenly, a clear path forward emerges where there was only uncertainty before. Whether it’s resolving a complex problem at work or navigating a personal relationship, the clarity from a true insight can feel like discovering a map that leads out of a maze.
Insights can appear as a seemingly obvious idea, or they might integrate so naturally into our actions that we barely notice the integration. Sometimes, they completely rearrange how we perceive the world—both externally and how we see ourselves. It can only take a moment so that we see something that a massive impact upon us – even if we’ve spent our entire lifetime up until that moment believing something entirely different.
The Source of Insights: Where do these transformative thoughts come from? Often, they arrive unexpectedly—during a walk, in the shower, or in the quiet moments just before sleep. It seems our brain shifts gears when we’re not actively problem-solving, allowing disparate ideas to merge into something new and meaningful.
They seem to come out of the blue. For me, it’s when we get quieter. It’s as if my intellect, which has spent a lifetime typically buzzing with activity, decides to take a ‘holiday.’ This isn’t about stopping thinking entirely, but rather allowing the constant analysis and planning to step back temporarily. When my mind isn’t fixated on solving or controlling everything, it frees up space for deeper insights to emerge. In these moments, my thinking slows down—there’s no fixed time it takes—and my mental chatter quiets. It’s in this quieter space beneath the busy surface that my inner knowing becomes more apparent. All I do is notice and listen, without the need to direct or judge the thoughts that arise. [Note, the more I play with this the more those holidays are turning into longer spells, and I’ve described it at times more like a retirement, my intellect can still potter and get involved when it wants, but there’s less that look like it’s its job to figure out.]
As coaches, you’re probably use to phrases such as “the client has their own answers.” As a Transformational coach, I spend a lot of time pointing people towards this inner world, more a dimension, where creativity seems to spring from and our own wisdom “hangs out”. Which allows those answers to more easily appear at their own pace and speed, without the hard work of figuring it all out, because if nothing else the answers that often come are usually surprising and do not follow a logical intellectual formula.
The Impact of Insights: The value of a single insight can be immense. Consider how Isaac Newton’s insight into gravity, prompted by a falling apple, fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe. Or think about how a sudden realization about a loved one can mend a strained relationship. These moments are not just about acquiring information; they are about gaining new perspectives that can radically shift our actions and outcomes.
Conclusion: Insights are powerful because they cut through noise and confusion to reveal underlying truths. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was right—a moment’s insight can indeed be worth a life’s experience and light up new understandings. Would you be open to experiencing more of those moments? Personally, I think that begins by recognizing that this profound potential is available to us. Then, it’s about being open to explore and play with this potential, simply observing what we notice without judgment.
About Jen Waller
Jen Waller is a transformative coach dedicated to empowering individuals to get out of their own way and make a meaningful impact in the world. With an impactful, nurturing coaching style, Jen supports clients in unlocking their potential and achieving their goals. As an experienced coach and trainer, she guides clients from self-doubt to success.
Discover how Jen can support you to get out of your own way here.
