The power of innovation. It’s a talent that everyone has, yet most think creativity is the domain of others. If you’ve ever marvelled at somebody’s creative prowess, guess what, you can create and innovate too. It just takes time. Everyone is born creative. The box of crayons in kindergarten was not limited to those who possessed potential; because the truth is, everybody has potential.
You know how long it took to learn to ride a bike or drive? Or to never commit the same mistake again? It’s the same with the power of innovation. It takes a bit of practice and a lot of time before this mind function becomes a natural competence. This article will teach you a few tips on how to bring innovation into your life.
Listen to yourself not others
Don’t listen to what other people say. Follow the beat of your own drum. Allowing for the input of other people will only bring cacophony to the music you’re trying to make. If you have an original idea, don’t waste your time and effort trying to make people understand. They won’t. And the ‘help’ you’ll receive will come in the form of negative feedback. If all those geniuses listened to their peers, we would probably still be living in the middle ages.
Spend time on it. I cannot stress that enough, although, please don’t mistake this tip to tell you to quit your day job entirely. Don’t. This involves some tricky time management, but with a little discipline, you’ll be able to squeeze both in.
Take a walk. Run a mile or two. Send all those endorphins coursing through your veins. Exercise as this clears and relaxes your mind and allows for ideas to pop up.
Record your dreams. Aren’t some of them just the craziest things that your conscious mind would never have thought of? If you’ve had these dreams before, and I’m sure you have, this shows the untapped innovative power you have within. So jot down those notes. Those dreams can create a creative spark in you.
Be you – not a copy
Find your own style. You can always tell a Van Gogh from a Matisse. You’ll know Hemingway wrote something by the choice of words on the paper. So it’s the same with you. People will appreciate your creativity more because it’s uniquely yours and that no one else would have thought of what you were thinking. That will let people see how valuable an asset you are. That’s the power of innovation.
Don’t hide behind nifty gadgets or tools. You don’t need the most expensive set of paints to produce a masterpiece. The same way with writing. You don’t need some expensive fountain pen and handmade paper for a bestseller. In fact, J.K. Rowling wrote the first book of the Harry Potter Series on bits of tissue. So what if you’ve got an expensive SLR camera if you’re a crappy photographer? Who cares if you’ve got an all-singing, all-dancing laptop if you can’t write at all? The artist actually reduces the number of tools he has as he gets better at his craft. He knows what works and what doesn’t.
Search for your ‘why’
Nothing will work without passion. What wakes you up in the mornings? What keeps the flame burning? What’s the one thing that makes you think you’ll die if you don’t do it? Sometimes people with talent are overtaken by the people who want it more. Remember the hare and the tortoise? Knowing why you want to do something will help keep you on track. Make your ‘why’ a big enough reason to keep going.
Ellen Degeneres once said that if you’re not doing something that you want to do, then you don’t really want to do it. And that’s true. Sometimes you just want something so desperately you become virtually unstoppable. And that’s passion. Passion will keep you going.
Don’t worry about inspiration. You can’t force it; inspiration hits when you least expect it to. For those unpredictable yet inevitable moments, you should prepare. An idea could strike you on the subway, yet alas, you poor unfortunate soul; you have no sheet of paper to scribble down a thought that could change the world. Avoid such disasters. Have a pen and paper within your arm’s reach at all times.
I hope this blog helps you bring more of the power of innovation into your life. Keep in mind that you’re doing these things for your own satisfaction and not anybody else’s. But soon enough they will notice, and everything should snowball from there.
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And there’s more…
Do you have a secret desire to write a book? Then everything you need to know about writing a book is right here - click on the link: 40 Days To A Finished Book!
Want to create big change in your life and have yourself some freedom from the daily 9 to 5 grind? Click on the link: Learn how to step into your best life by gaining the skills that you need!
Take a look at these resources to power up your innovation:
Elizabeth Gilbert – what can I say? An amazingly talented writer, who writes from the depths of her soul. In this book, she shares stories from her own life, as well as those from her friends and the people that have inspired her, Elizabeth Gilbert challenges us to embrace our curiosity, tackle what we most love and face down what we most fear. Whether you long to write a book, create art, cope with challenges at work, embark on a long-held dream, or simply to make your everyday life more vivid and rewarding, Big Magic will take you on a journey of exploration filled with wonder and unexpected joys. Buy this book! Click on the link below: Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear – Elizabeth Gilbert:
I’m a huge fan of both Marie Forleo and Elizabeth Gilbert. In fact, they’re two of my favourite peeps! Take a look at this YouTube video where Marie Forleo interviews Elizabeth Gilbert about fear, authenticity and Big Magic – Click on the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyUYa-BnjU8
To learn more about flexing your innovation muscles, Daniel Kahneman’s best-selling book is a must read! Buy this book! Click on the link below: Thinking, Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman:
Do you have an idea that you want to put out into the world? It’s not just about innovation but also giving customers what they want. In this book, Eric Ries strips everything down to the core basic principles that you need to know to survive and thrive in the modern-day market. Buy this book! Click on the link below: The Lean Startup: How Constant Innovation Creates Radically Successful Businesses – Eric Ries:
This book crossed my path quite accidently. By which I meant that I was skimming through Amazon and somehow pressed the buy button. But no, it wasn’t a mistake. In fact, it was a complete blessing. What a brilliant book that looks at how some of the biggest companies that used innovative ideas to transform their organizations. I really enjoyed it and some great takeaways no matter what your idea for a business is. Buy this book! Click on the link below: Non-Bullshit Innovation: Radical Ideas from the World’s Smartest Minds – David Rowan:
For more ideas on how to improve your life, take a look at this blog. Click on the link: 10 Ways to Create Your Dream Life (ruthybaker.com)
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© Ruthy Baker 2020
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