Key Factor you need to Succeed at Innovation

Folks who want to innovate start strong. They all miss the boat due to one factor. Today we discuss how you can stay at the top of your game.

Let me share a recent personal example that reinforced this point.

I have been a decent squash player over the years. Even though I'm irregular, picking up the rhythm doesn't take much time. Last weekend we had a local squash tournament and I threw my name into the hat. It was a knockout format and I thought of making it to the quarters. In the first round I drew an unfamiliar player.

In about fifteen minutes I had my pride and ego walking out of the door.

I had myself to blame. My execution was terrible. I'd think of hitting a deep ball but landed it in the hands of my opponent. I did run around and gave him a tough time. Yet, none of that matters.

Crunch time calls for dependability and execution.

We can read all we want and think all we'd like. If you don't practice, you're letting rust build up. That's a much worse state than a beginner's mindset.

Your mind tricks you into believing that your game is right there as before.

Strategizing a game plan requires mental agility. We can't think for long and deep with a creaky engine. Ideas take longer to generate and we get stuck fast.

What's the way out?

Know that this is a marathon. You've got to keep at it. Regularly. It doesn't matter if your frequency is lesser than others. Run your own race but keep running.

Here are some guidelines to help you sustain:

1. Commit to a frequency. I used to run innovation groups that met every two weeks. It felt right to our team and we were super regular.
2. Run with a team. Your colleagues will also help bring accountability. Buddy systems work well!
3. Share your learnings. If you read something interesting, share with your team. Teams that are on the same page bring an X factor that helps innovation programs.

Don't let your innovation game wither away like I've done to my squash game.

Consistency helps you win.

That's it for today.

Happy Ideating!

Hemang.