How imagination unlocks breakthroughs: reflections inspired by James Hillman

“Try as we may, we cannot make insights with reason or will, ‘something imaginative is needed.’”
—James Hillman, The Myth of Analysis

Hillman’s words are so true to me. My biggest breakthroughs haven’t come from planning or thinking harder—they’ve come in those quiet, unexpected moments when my imagination had space to take over. Whether it’s during a walk, staring out the window, or losing myself in a creative project, the insights that really matter seem to arise when I let go of trying to force them.

I’ve noticed this in my work too. When I’m with clients or students, the best moments—the ones where something truly shifts—don’t happen because we’ve analyzed anything. They happen when we step back, trust the process, and let something deeper take the lead. Imagination has a way of opening doors that logic didn’t even know were there.

Let’s let our imagination show us the way.