I’ve just passed the OSCP exam – a 24-hour trial by fire for any cybersecurity professional and I’m happy I made it.
But more than just a certification exam, it was a personal experience in creative thinking under pressure. While working through the challenge, I got stuck on a few machines. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t find a way in. Eventually, I managed to solve them. After the exam, I realized that my best ideas didn’t come when I was staring at the screen trying everything I could. Ideas came when I was working on other machines, during short breaks, or right after I had rested. Those moments of stepping away helped me think more clearly, recall past experience, and connect ideas I simply couldn’t see before.
In this article, I’ll share what I learned about innovative thinking. We’ll dive into how our brain solves problems (even while we sleep), what historical inventors like Mendeleev and Edison can teach us, and how to train your mind to think creatively under pressure.
What Is Innovative Thinking
Innovative thinking is the ability to solve problems in creative and unexpected ways.
It’s about thinking outside the box and developing unique solutions to challenges that seem unsolvable at first.
Innovative thinking and creativity are deeply connected. Some people try to separate them, but in practice, they’re two sides of the same coin.
In cybersecurity, innovative thinking allows us to approach problems from new angles and spot patterns others overlook. This way of thinking is what distinguishes those who simply follow scripts from those who solve problems creatively and drive real innovation.
Neuroscience about Focused Mode and Diffuse Mode
Our brain uses two main ways of thinking: focused mode and diffuse mode.
Focused Mode is a concentrated state of thinking where attention is directed toward a specific task or problem. It utilizes established neural pathways and engages the prefrontal cortex, responsible for complex cognitive behavior.
Diffuse Mode is a relaxed, subconscious state of thinking that allows the mind to wander and make new connections. It activates broader neural networks and often occurs during activities like walking, showering, or resting. It facilitates creative problem-solving and insight generation.
One example from my experience was when I suddenly realized the solution to a problem while taking a break and doing something completely unrelated.
The illustration above shows how the brain operates differently in focused and diffuse thinking modes. It’s worth noting that in diffuse mode, more areas of the brain tend to be active, and a greater number of neural connections are involved.
Some Historical Examples
In 1869, Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist, organized the 63 known chemical elements by increasing atomic weight, noting that elements with similar properties recurred at regular intervals – a concept he termed the “periodic law.” Dmitri Mendeleev’s insight reportedly came to him in a dream after days of intense work.
Thomas Edison was an American inventor whose innovations profoundly impacted modern life. His notable inventions include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a practical electric light bulb. He used a unique method to boost his creativity. He would sit in a chair holding metal balls in his hands. As he began to fall asleep, his muscles would relax, causing the balls to drop and make a noise that woke him up. This brief moment between wakefulness and sleep is known as the hypnagogic state.
During this state, the mind is relaxed and can form unexpected connections between ideas. By waking up just as he entered this state, Edison could capture creative thoughts and insights that might have been lost in deeper sleep.
Modern research supports this technique. Studies have shown that spending even a short time in the hypnagogic state can significantly increase creative problem-solving abilities.
Hacking the Brain and Using Both Modes
So what can be done when a problem seems unsolvable, or when generating a new idea feels impossible?
By switching between focused and diffuse modes, you can train your brain to find creative solutions more effectively. Here’s a simple but powerful process that uses both focused and diffuse thinking:
1. Engage Focused Mode
Start by diving into the problem. Study the details, gather information, and try to solve it using logical, concentrated, step-by-step thinking. This is where analysis and effort happen.
2. Switch to Diffuse Mode
If you hit a wall, step back. Take a walk, rest, or shift your attention to something unrelated. Then think about the task. Try to remember previous experience.
3. Return to Focused Mode
Come back to the problem with fresh eyes. You might already have the idea and it could have come to you while you were resting or doing something else. Now it’s time to try it out.
These simple steps(focus, release, return) are a practical way to train your mind for creative problem-solving.
Final Ideas
A 24-hour exam is an opportunity to use the challenge to your advantage
Because the OSCP exam lasts 24 hours, you’ll likely feel exhausted at some point and maybe even start to fall asleep. If you’re stuck and drifting off, that might actually be the perfect time to try Thomas Edison’s napping method.
Another simple but effective approach is to step away for a moment. Take a break, drink some tea, walk around, and let your mind reset.
I don’t think exams are just about testing what you know or what you can do. Passing an exam isn’t the finish line it’s just one part of the learning journey. In fact, it often marks the end of a study cycle and the beginning of something new.
Even if you don’t pass, you still gain something valuable: experience, insight, and new understanding. And once you see it that way, the pressure fades and you realize you’re actually building the power to take on anything.
