Innovation and Creativity is for Everyone

Innovation is a talent everyone has, yet they think they don't. If you've ever marveled at somebody's creative prowess, guess what? You can create and innovate too. It just takes time. The box of crayons in kindergarten was not limited to those with potential; everybody has potential and is born creative. Innovation doesn't necessarily mean inventing the next iPhone or Tesla. It could be coming up with an idea to streamline your company's processes, developing the marketing strategy and campaign for your company's new product, or creating an impactful presentation that will result in buy-in from the relevant stakeholders.?

Do you know how long it took to learn to drive or ride a bicycle or never to repeat the same mistake? You probably don't remember, but it most likely took you some time and practice before the mind function became automatic. It's the same with innovation.

This article will provide several tips for fostering creativity and innovation in your life.?

1. Don't listen to what others say. Follow the beat of your own music. Allowing for the input of others will only create noise to the music you are attempting to make. If you have an original idea, don't waste time and effort trying to make everyone understand because not everyone would appreciate it, especially if it's out of the ordinary! And most of the time, you'll likely receive negative feedback. If all those geniuses and great inventors listened to their peers, we would still live like cavemen today! I'm not saying to ignore constructive feedback, but if you have conviction in your idea and have carefully considered everything else, then nothing else matters.?
2. Spend time on whatever you set out to create. I cannot stress this enough, but please do not mistake this tip for telling you to resign from your day job (if you are planning to start a side business) or neglect other areas of your life. This involves time management and re-prioritization, but with discipline and determination, you'll be able to have your cake and eat it too!
3. Exercise. You can take a walk, swim, or run a mile or two! Exercise releases endorphins, clear your mind, and helps you relax, enabling ideas and solutions to flow to your mind more easily.
4. Write down your dreams. Some of our dreams could be just the craziest things our conscious mind would have ever thought of! If you have had such dreams before, and I'm sure all of us have, this shows you the untapped innovative power you possess. So jot down those dreams before you forget them! These dreams may ignite the creative spark in you.
5. Discover your own style. You'll recognize Hemingway or Shakespeare wrote something by the words used in the writing. Each of them has its own unique style. It's the same for you and me. People will appreciate our innovation and work more because it is exclusively ours, and no one else would have thought of what we were thinking or presented our work in the way we delivered it. That will let people see how valuable an asset we are.
6. Don't hide behind nifty gadgets or tools. You don't need the most expensive paints to create a masterpiece—the same way with writing. You don't need expensive fountain pens or the most high-quality paper for a bestseller. Did you know that J.K. Rowling wrote the bits of the first book of the Harry Potter Series on tissue paper? So what if you've got a costly SLR camera if you take lousy pictures? Who cares if you've got the most high-end laptop if you can't write? An artist minimizes the number of tools he has as he improves his craft: he knows what works and what doesn't.
7. Things will work if you have passion. What wakes you up in the mornings? What keeps the fire in you burning? What is the one thing that will cause you to wither inside if you don't do it? Sometimes people with skills and aptitude are overtaken by those who want it more. A good example would be the hare and the tortoise. Slow and steady wins the race over those who possess the talent but don't put in the effort. Ellen DeGeneres once commented that if you're not doing something you want to do, you don't actually want to do it. And that's true. Sometimes you want something so badly that you become virtually unstoppable. This is passion, and passion will keep you going no matter what happens.
8. Having an open mind is one key thing that increased my creativity and problem-solving skills. I am an avid reader of the topics I'm passionate about. I love networking with people from all walks of life and understanding things from different perspectives. I never say no to new technology or ideas and make it a point to learn something new every day. The more you know, the more references your brain can draw from to generate ideas. So I strongly encourage people to go out more, read more, and take a course or two when they have free time. Your mind will thank you for it.

Finally, don't worry about inspiration. You cannot force it; inspiration hits when you least expect it to. Sometimes it hits me when I'm in the shower or taking a brisk walk in the park. Sometimes it hits me in the middle of the night, and I have to wake up and jot down a note to follow up on it in the morning! For those unexpected yet inevitable moments, you should prepare. An idea could strike you on the train, and while you may not have a sheet of paper to scribble down your thoughts, luckily for us, we are in an era where most of us possess a smartphone. You can create an email draft or send a text to yourself, whichever you prefer. All you need to remember is that, as humans, we are a living species with the most powerful minds. Our brain has unlimited potential - we just need to learn how to tap into it!

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