What an observant engineer can teach us about spotting opportunities hidden in plain sight…
Did You Know? A side hustle could be healthy!
A story from the past
It’s 1941. Electrical engineer George de Mestral is on a hike when he notices small, spiky seeds sticking to his dog’s fur. Intrigued by the burs’ sticky yet removable quality, de Mestral put them under his microscope, wondering if he could replicate the hooked teeth of the bur to create a new fastening mechanism like a zipper. The idea had potential.
Over the following 10 years, de Mestral sought manufacturers to produce the fabric needed—all while working his day job as an electrical engineer. Multiple rejections later, one factory agreed. Almost 20 years after his initial inspiration, the Velcro Companies was born—and de Mestral’s discovery went on to be used in everything from jackets to shoes to NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration spacesuits.
So, the next time you find a bur stuck onto your shoes or pants, remember de Mestral, who saw the same thing you did—and went on to make something of it.
A study of the present
Not all of us want to become entrepreneurs, but all of us can benefit from having an entrepreneurial mindset.
After all, just last month, researchers at HEC Liège and CHU de Liège found that entrepreneurs have greater “cognitive flexibility” in the form of being able to switch between projects, perspectives, and problems.
What does this data suggest? If we consider that prior studies have shown that cognitive flexibility is associated with an improved quality of life and psychological well-being, especially among older adults, the HEC Liège study takes on a new meaning: Thinking like an entrepreneur is like doing crossword puzzles. It’s good for you!
So what? Whether it’s to grow your career or to improve your health, think like an entrepreneur. You might just discover the next big thing. And if you don’t, you’ll at least live a better life.
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A strategy for your future
Starting a side hustle? Simply exercising your brain? Either way, try this:
1. The next time you find yourself seeing something and thinking wow, pause!?
2. Fill in the blanks: “Wow, this is so cool because ______. What if we took ______ and applied it to ______? Then, we’d be able to ______!”
3. Add this to your list of side hustles—just in case!
You probably won’t find the next VELCRO? product just by doing this once. But, if you turn this activity into a habit, it’s only a matter of time before you stumble upon something worthy of your time.
I know it because I’ve experienced it: When I heard about Samin Nosrat’s Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking through my friend Aaron Altabet , I immediately thought, Wow… if these are the elements of good cooking, what are the elements of being a high performer at work? If I hadn’t asked myself this question, I would have never developed my Three C’s framework !
Stay observant!
Gorick
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Staff Product Engineer
1 年I do like the idea of linking an idea to a side hustle. Though I am interested in the process of how he approached the manufacturers, which I believe for someone starting out early in their careers have now idea how to do. Is there possibly a follow up to this story?
Supporting families and clinics through the PGT (PGD) process to make healthy babies. Let's talk PGT-M/A/SR.
1 年I think my favourite part of these is the mad libs- like scripts you give to get started with the way to think about things. So much more helpful than just, “pay attention to things around you”. Thank you!
Lawyer | Author | Thinkers50 Radar
1 年I agree! Exploring another discipline can help you problem solve more effectively, feel more energized, and take feedback more constructively. And as a bonus, a side hustle also makes you more interesting :)
Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author of "The Unspoken Rules" (HBR) | Keynote speaker | Harvard career adviser | UC Berkeley faculty | First-gen
1 年Did you know? You can receive early access to my weekly newsletter right in your email each Monday! Just go to https://www.gorick.com, scroll down slightly, and enter your email at the top or bottom of the page!