10 Ways to Become More Innovative by Marben Bland

Innovation is all around us, innovation makes our lives, work, play and even worship better. We’re all innovators because innovation is not and has never been the exclusive providence of the famous like Madam C.J. Walker, George Washington Carver, Thomas Edison or even Steve Jobs.

However, our innovations, need not be trailblazing. A simple innovative improvement can make the ineffective, effective and the problematic, workable.

While innovation is in our DNA, accessing our innovative thoughts and ideas can be elusive. Innovation can be blocked by any number of factors that can retard growth and progress.

Here are some thoughts that could be helpful in unlocking the innovation in you.

1. Yes Virginia You are Innovative

You are more innovative than you think. For a lifetime you have been successfully changing things. You’ve established new ways of doing things and making things happen. In other words, you have been innovating so keep on doing it!

2. Move Away From the Screen

Innovation takes place in the brain. Electronic devices like the laptop, smartphone, and game consoles can take our mind away from critical thinking; which is necessary to come up with new thoughts and action plans. Once we that innovative vision, then we can use or precious electronics to implement and share it with the world.

3. Innovation is Not Synonymous with Perfection

Perfection should not block innovation. Half-baked ideas are OK.

4. Show and Tell

Freely share your innovative ideas with others. Ultimately, you will find bakers that will warm up your half-baked ideas turning them into delicious innovations.

5. Document to Innovative

Innovative thoughts and ideas can happen at any time; but, our memories of those thoughts and ideas often fade quickly. Therefore, always keep something close by to record your innovations before they fade away.

6. Answer Questions

Curiosity may have killed the cat; but, it also keeps innovation alive and well. Your answers to the burning questions of the day could be the innovations of tomorrow.

7. Solve Problems

Fire became the innovation that solved the problem of no heat or light. The wheel put an end to the transportation problem. While the chocolate chip cookie was the innovation that solved the problem of what to dunk in milk!

Within you lies the answer to that vexing problem that is keeping everyone up at night. Think of more than just the problem, think of the solution and remember, the solution need not be big to be innovative.

8. Expand the Box

Innovation takes place when thinking goes beyond what is possible. Why go outside the box when a bit of innovation will enable you to make the box bigger and better.

9. No No

The biggest impediment to innovation is the word “no”. No, stops the best ideas, paralyzes brainstorming, and ends any possibilities of cultivating greatness. In the minds of the best innovators the word “no” does not exist. For in a world without the word “no” innovative breakthroughs can be born, cultivated and thrive.

10. No Fear

Innovation cannot take place in an environment of fear. While fear can inspire innovation an innovator cannot be afraid of failure. True innovators know that the concepts, machines and software that they create may fail and that many innovations are not successful. However, they keep on innovating because the biggest failure of all is when we fail to try to innovate.

Final Thoughts

Innovation is the calling card of successful. Innovation is different from change. Change must be embraced and is often fought, while innovation is almost always logically understood and accepted. So embrace the innovation within you and make it your calling card for creating a better world.