Nike and Apple displaced their number-one competitors in the market through the power of innovation.
These underdog stories are implausible without an innovative mind.
Mike Lazaridis of BlackBerry spearheaded his company’s downfall with his decision to stick with keyboards, “the BlackBerry Click,” when the industry was going through a new transition.
Industry, businesses, and organizations remain stagnant due to their rigid structure and leadership that discourages innovation.
An innovative mindset is the key to the progress of any institution.
Innovation Is Not Rocket Science
Innovation Begins With Ideas
Innovation has phases. It begins and develops through the techniques of observing and thinking.
Everyone has an idea in mind. The idea may be new or an existing one.
You must be open to these ideas and identify the patterns and connections between them, then assimilate them together to form something new.
Your mind is the port where thoughts land.
Thought And Mind
Thoughts form in our minds when we focus on our environment.
Observation is the way to focus.
Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi calls it stimulating environment. He explains how the environment can stimulate words and images in our minds.
What comes to your mind when an object is out of place? How do you react inside when you notice technical mistakes in a structure? Perhaps, notice the train of thoughts that flood your mind when trying to find the missing piece in a puzzle. Ideas or solutions simply run through your mind.
The environment triggers thoughts in your mind, but thoughts with no set of actions are not innovation.
Difference Between Creativity and Innovation
Asking curious questions and relating objects together is only a step to innovation, but it’s not it; it’s called creativity.
Creativity is being able to see what others can’t.
Innovation and creativity are not the same.
An idea that’s not practically applicable is not innovative thinking.
Innovation is applied creativity. It’s simple to identify, invent, and implement. It is bringing thoughts into reality by taking action.
Developing Your Creativity and Innovative Mind
Mindfulness
Hold only a few thoughts in your mind.
It means eliminating your worries, fears, and irrelevant thoughts.
Meditation helps us get rid of negative thoughts and focus on creative thoughts. When these thoughts come as inspiration, trap them by writing them down.
As you write, a new set of ideas awakens.
Another way to focus on your thoughts is by going for long walks. Nike’s Phil Knight agreed on a contract that revolutionalized Nike and the entire sport today by just taking a walk.
Other ways include taking showers, exercising, doing the dishes, etc.
The point is to do something that’ll help you connect with your subconscious and catch inspiration. You must know how to connect with your inner mind for inspiration.
Learning
An existing mental framework is a foundation for inspiration on any subject.
Reading books, attending webinars, mentorship, and personal development can expand your perspective.
Most significant innovations came from merging two different fields, like Steve Jobs merging technology and aesthetics to give iPhone its sexy look and number-one status. Elon Musk had no experience with Space Rockets before delving into Space X, but books and communities kickstarted his billion-dollar journey.
Brainstorming with masterminds and think tank groups is another way to refine such knowledge. You can develop your ideas and hear fresh perspectives that produce new insights.
How you deal with a problem will shift because you’re seeing from another’s perspective and raising hypothetical questions.
Challenge the norm and standard
Organizations focus on preconceived notions and stick with norms rather than look out for fresh perspectives. Adidas stuck with the norms set by NBA and lost the Michael Jordan deal to Nike.
The goal is never to settle for the status quo. Innovators always beat the status quo; they don’t even see it because they think till they’re outside the box.
Apple displaced Blackberry as the number one phone gadget by producing an all-screen phone before then Mike said, “That’s the stupid decision anyone would make, a phone without a keyboard? They don’t know what they’re doing!
Keep yourself up to date with existing tools and technology applicable to your field. Because the old will eventually die.
Let Your Mind To Find Ease
One aim of innovation is to provide ease for humanity.
Although today, the focus might have shifted from comfortability to profitability.
But when we engage our mind on how can we complete a task efficiently?
How can I comfortably do this?
We’d begin to experience innovation not only in business or technology but in our everyday life.
Just Do It
Beyond perfection, take action.
The distance between you and your dream is the step of action you’d take. Eliminate the fear, doubts, or anything holding you back, and just do it.
Bottom Line
Innovation begins with the mind. We can only accept external innovations when we constantly innovate internally.
Companies, businesses, and organizations take giant steps when they embrace innovations. Innovation is not creativity. Innovation is applied creativity. Till we implement those ideas, we can’t experience the power of innovation.
However, innovation starts with the mind and is handled with our hands.
That’s how you got a tech product in your hands.
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