Why does the solution to a problem you’ve been stuck with, sometimes come to mind all of a sudden? Is my mind working on it “behind the scenes” without me “knowing”?

Question

I like to develop games as a hobby, and therefore usually encounter a lot of programming challenges, in other words: features i want to implement but dont really know how.

Ocasionally i spend a lot of time try to solve it, without success, and then, usually in the next couple of days, the thought containing the correct solution will suddenly appear in my mind, without me consciously focusing or even thinking about that topic.

What happened? Did my mind keep working on it, without me even “knowing” and then presented the solution?

Thanks!

In: Biology

Answer 1

This phenomenon is often referred to as the Eureka moment or the Aha moment. It’s believed that when you’re focused on a problem and then take a break from actively thinking about it, your subconscious continues to work on finding a solution. When you’re relaxed and not actively thinking about the problem, your subconscious can send the solution to your conscious mind. So yes, your mind was likely working on it behind the scenes without you even realizing it. Happy game developing!