Break Free from the Myth of the Lightning-Bolt Epiphany—Why Big Ideas Need Years, Not Moments

Most people have been sold the story that game-changing ideas strike like lightning—sudden, dazzling, and out of nowhere. You hear about Newton 'discovering' gravity when an apple hit his head or inventors having a ‘Eureka!’ moment in the bathtub. But real innovators, scientists, and creatives know that this myth is misleading. The truth is that new ideas, inventions, or works of art rarely materialize in a flash; instead, they grow slowly, built up piece by piece, through years of trial, error, and accumulated experience.

A good example is Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, who spent 20 years mastering physics and optics before he was able to spot the innovative solution when it finally came to him, late at night. Even Newton himself devoted decades to studying gravity—no apple fell before he laid the groundwork for his theory. The feeling of sudden insight, when it does come, is often the result of all this hidden preparation—an emotional reward for sticking with the grind and patiently fitting puzzle pieces together.

Research backs this up: psychologists like Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describe creativity as a three-part process. First is immersion, where creators gather knowledge and struggle with a problem. Second is incubation, which is often marked by periods of rest or seemingly unrelated activity. Only then does insight sometimes pop into mind. Still, the myth of epiphany is persistent—because it’s easier to romanticize one big moment than admit it’s really about grit, patience, and many false starts.

Associative ability, or your brain’s talent at connecting unlikely ideas, is strengthened by frequent engagement with many ideas—not by waiting. The lesson? Treat every small, steady effort as a step in building your next ‘big idea.’ Scientific habit-building and cognitive psychology both show that making space for regular work and rest, and logging each attempt, makes original solutions more likely. And even if you do get your ‘Eureka’ moment, it’s just another piece in a larger, longer journey.

Give yourself permission to stop waiting for the big lightbulb moment. Starting today, keep a humble (but honest) log of every attempt, stumble, or small breakthrough on your work—no matter how trivial. Build a rhythm where both hard focus and restorative breaks have a seat at the table, letting your mind wander after each intense session. Experiment with small parts of your challenge, even if each attempt feels incremental or unrelated. Over time, you'll start to see how the quiet, unnoticed steps outnumber the fireworks—leading you closer to real progress with less pressure and more resilience. Try it this week and witness how steady habits beat the mythical epiphany.