How to turn life's cracks into footholds

It seems that everywhere you look, you see cracks.

Cracks in the system. Cracks in organisations. Cracks in our economy. Cracks in our personal lives.

These cracks can feel deeply unsettling. When everything feels like it is cracking up, it is very easy to slip into a negative mindset and fixate on what is broken or not working. And in truth, many of these cracks cannot simply be patched up overnight, especially if you are talking about something as large cracks in our economy.

But that does not mean you are powerless. A crack does not have to be a dead end.

There is a line from Leonard Cohen, “Cracks are where the light gets in.” Disruption, difficulty and imperfection can also be openings.

I have a friend who is a rock climber. I honestly do not know how he does it, but he climbs sheer rock faces that look absolutely impossible to scale.

What makes it possible are the cracks. Those small openings are actually vital for him to get up that mountain. They give him something to grip, something to stand on, something to push against.

In much the same way, creative thinking helps us see cracks differently. Instead of only seeing what is wrong, we start asking what might be possible.

Creative thinking shifts us from: “I wish this wasn’t happening” or “How do I fix this so it goes away”… to a more expansive questions: “What is trying to emerge here?” and “What can I do with this?”

Cracks can become springboards.

In one of our recent online workshops, Nina explored this idea and guided participants through a short, practical exercise to help reframe cracks as opportunities. You can either watch the video above, where she takes you step by step through the process, or work through the exercise below at your own pace. Both approaches work equally well.

The exercise takes 5 minutes and will help you shift perspective, uncover hidden possibilities and see a crack in your own life or work in a new way.

A Simple Exercise to Reframe a Crack

You will need a piece of paper. If you like mind maps, feel free to use one. (Find out more about mind maps here).

Step 1: Spot a crack

Think of a place in your life or your work where something feels stuck, broken, or irritating.

It could be personal. For example, your weekends always feel too short, too filled with errands and you arrive on Monday already exhausted.

It could be at work. Perhaps in team meetings you always hear the same two or three voices, while others stay quiet and you miss out on good ideas and input.

Write down one crack. Just one. Don’t overthink it.

Step 2: Find the hidden opportunity

Now take that crack and flip it into a question that invites possibility. Move from “I wish this wasn’t happening” to “How might I…?” or “How might we…?”

For example:
“How might I create more space for rest and renewal on my weekends?”
or
“How might we design team meetings so that everyone’s voice and perspective can be surfaced?”

Write your opportunity question down. This small shift in language already starts to open things up.

Step 3: Try a different perspective

Our brains are very good at falling into habitual patterns of thinking. One way to gently disrupt this is by deliberately adopting a different perspective.

Imagine looking at your crack through the eyes of three different characters:

• A rebel or maverick who breaks the rules.
• A healer, doctor, or psychologist who wants to understand and restore.
• A beginner or child who approaches things simply and without assumptions.

If it helps, draw a small mind map with each of these characters. Put on each “hat” one at a time and quickly write down any ideas that come to mind.

Do not judge the ideas. Do not discard them because they feel unrealistic, expensive or silly. Just let them land on the page. You can critique them later.

Give yourself two minutes for this step.

Why this works

It is remarkable how much thinking we can do in a short amount of time.

Our rational, directive mind processes information relatively slowly. But our default mode network, the part of the brain associated with imagination and insight, operates at extraordinary speed. When we create the right conditions, a great deal can surface very quickly.

Cracks really can be places where seeds fall and grow.

You may be surprised by what emerges when you stop trying to fix the problem and instead get curious about it. Many people are sceptical of creative thinking because they assume it will take more time. In reality, small shifts in perspective can unlock momentum rather than slow things down.

When we run this exercise ourselves, we are often struck by how practical and implementable the ideas are. Sometimes the first small step becomes obvious almost immediately.

What shifts when you change perspective 

One of the most powerful aspects of this exercise is perspective taking. It builds empathy. It allows you to step out of your own default viewpoint and see a situation through different eyes.

In a world that often feels polarised and reactive, this ability is more important than ever. Creative thinking is not just about innovation. It is about understanding, connection and seeing more of what is possible.

The next time you notice a crack, pause before rushing to repair it or push it away.

Ask yourself, "What might want to grow here?"

You may find that the crack is not the end of the story, but the beginning of something new.

At Creativity Wake-Up, we help leaders and teams leverage creative thinking to become more agile, resilient and inventive in the face of real world challenges.

If you would like to explore how this work could support you or your organisation, we would love to hear from you.

📩 Contact us for an exploratory conversation: [email protected] 
🎓 Learn more about our Creativity for Business programme at GIBS Business School
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