How to Activate the Colorful Part of Your Brain: The Science of Play, Curiosity, and Everyday Creativity

We often hear that the brain is divided into two sides — the left and the right. But there’s another way to look at it.

Imagine your brain as having two worlds — the gray zone and the rainbow zone.

The gray part is logical, analytical, and efficient. It helps you plan, calculate, and make decisions — but it can also get stuck in routine. The rainbow part, however, is spontaneous, curious, and imaginative — it’s the spark behind creativity, humor, and joy.

Most people assume creativity is a talent you’re either born with or not. But science now says otherwise.
You can train your brain to become more colorful.

And no — it doesn’t require intellectual debates, books, or lectures.
It starts with something simpler, playful, and far more joyful.

Here are three surprising ways to awaken the colorful part of your brain.

1. Play with Toys: The Mercedes-Benz Creativity Test

When Mercedes-Benz interviewed candidates for a senior leadership role, they conducted an unusual test.

Each candidate was placed alone in a room with toy cars and race tracks — the classic Hot Wheels kind.

Some instantly picked them up and started zooming the cars around, experimenting and smiling. Others ignored them, believing, “I’m here for a serious job, not to play.”

Guess who got hired?
Only those who played.

Why? Because innovation demands imagination. People who can’t engage in play often struggle to see possibilities beyond the obvious.

So next time you see a Jenga set, a puzzle, or a bouncy ball — pick it up. Play.
Your inner child isn’t childish; it’s your brain’s most creative department.

2. Be Willing to Explore: Step Out of the “Resort Mindset

A friend of mine loves his vacations — but every trip is the same. He checks into a luxurious resort and never steps out.
Great food, perfect pool, manicured lawns — but it feels, to me, like a glorified prison.

I, on the other hand, love to wander beyond the gates — into flea markets, narrow streets, and roadside dhabas. That’s where life smells different, sounds different, and your brain lights up like a festival.

Exploration rewires your neurons. It triggers curiosity, surprise, and delight — the raw materials of creativity.

So, explore around you.
It could be as simple as:

• Taking a new route to your office.
• Carpooling with someone new.
• Or trying a different mode of transport — hop on an auto rickshaw or walk through a lane you’ve never noticed before.

The gray brain seeks comfort.
The rainbow brain seeks wonder.
And wonder, my friend, is the birthplace of every creative idea.

3. Experiment with Food: A Tasty Path to Creativity

If you truly want to activate your rainbow brain, start with your plate.

We often fall into culinary patterns — Fridays for biryani, Sundays for meen curry, Tuesdays for curd rice. Familiar, yes. But familiar also means predictable — and predictable means gray.

I remember going out with my brother-in-law once. Instead of ordering our usual chicken corn soup, I tried Thai bamboo soup. It was unusual — not exactly delicious, but fascinating. My brother-in-law and his entire family refused to even taste it.
My children, however, loved it!

That’s what it takes — a willingness to taste life differently.

Your brain lights up with new colors when you experiment:

• Try a different cuisine.
• Read a different newspaper section — something beyond sports or comics.
• Cook something unusual, even if it ends up as a burnt tortilla.

Because creativity isn’t always about success — it’s about sensation. Every new flavour, sound, or sight sends a signal to your brain: Wake up, there’s more to life than routine!

 The Takeaway: Paint Your Brain

To activate the colourful part of your brain:

1. Play — with toys, ideas, or imagination.
2. Explore — go beyond the comfortable.
3. Experiment — with food, music, and experiences.

Each act adds a brushstroke to your mind’s rainbow.
And when logic meets curiosity, when data meets delight — that’s when the magic happens.

So next time life feels gray, don’t wait for inspiration.
Pick up a toy, try a new road, or taste something strange.
Because that’s where your next big idea is hiding — somewhere between play and possibility.