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Tolerating uncertainty rather than rushing to judgment allows complex, innovative ideas time to develop.

Cognitive closure drives us to seek instant answers, often making us dismiss novel concepts prematurely.

Communicating through emotion and experience is just as valuable as using data and logical explanations.

Approaching unfamiliar challenges with curiosity rather than a need for control yields better results.

When I visited the Venice Biennale this summer, I felt puzzled by most of the art I saw. Most of us ask ourselves, “What does this mean?”—not just with art, but with many things in life and work. We want to work things out right away, but that can lead us astray. Sometimes, it’s better to wait before judging something new.For example, when I walked through Lubaina Himid’s exhibition in the British Pavilion, I was drawn in by the lively colours, energy, and bold brushstrokes in her paintings. Still, I felt confused by what the figures were doing and by the symbols on the sides. I tried to work them out. What were the figures doing? What did the symbols mean? What was Himid trying to say?

This is something we all experience. I didn’t understand something right away, so my mind wanted to solve the mystery. I looked for an answer before I had really spent time with the art.

The Psychology of “Negative Capability”

In psychology, the urge to quickly resolve uncertainty is called cognitive closure. When things get complicated, our minds........

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