Letting your mind play is the best way to solve problems.

Cartoonist Bill Watterson is the creator of "Calvin & Hobbes," the popular comic strip about a six-year-old boy and a tiger who do nothing but play. So it’s no surprise he sees that freedom as an important element of creativity. “I’ve been amazed at how one idea leads to others if I allow my mind to play and wander,” he said in a 1990 commencement speech at Kenyon College. Indulging your curiosity and childlike sense of wonder can open up creative paths that lead to surprising solutions. Next time you find you’ve hit a wall, try approaching the problem as a six-year-old might: with imagination, no pressure, and lots of flexibility.