Why Being an Entrepreneur Is Like Being a Science-Fiction Writer

There are many types of writers and many genres as well. Fiction, nonfiction, biographical, educational, technical, etc. In my opinion, however, the most difficult genre of writing is that of science fiction. Why is that? Well, the writer must write about things that don’t exist. They must have the vision to create worlds and devices – and even beings – that only the author can see in his/her mind. This requires a great deal of creativity, and to be a successful science-fiction writer also requires creativity on a consistent basis.

This is exactly how I feel about being an entrepreneur: One must have the vision to “see” the best path for the company, which avenues to pursue, which new policies to develop and roll out, which new devices or technologies are needed, and overall, what the future will look like for the company. It all requires creativity – and creativity on a continual level. Many people think that creativity is a talent that one is born with, but the truth is creativity is a skill that can be developed. Here are a few tips to enhance and develop your creativity:

Step back. Creative individuals need space to see the big picture and let ideas flow. If you are focused on every detail each day, there is no room for creativity. Delegate tasks and free up your time and mind.

Read. All through life, our brains have the ability to generate new tendrils of connection – aka synapses – to other nerve cells in the brain. In short, it can wire and re-wire itself and the process of neuroplasticity, as it is called, is sometimes referred to as a “structural remodeling of the brain.” This allows one to develop new mindsets, new abilities and new ways of thinking. Reading has shown to be a huge contributor. Neuroscientists have discovered that even reading a novel can improve brain connectivity and function on a variety of levels.

Construct New from Old. Speaking of reading, I came across a wonderful tip in the book Employee to Entrepreneur, by Steve Glaveski, to help expand creative thinking. Here’s the excerpt:

Imagine you have a skateboard, a bicycle, and a motorcycle. Now deconstruct each object into its essential parts.

The skateboard is made up of a deck, wheels, and trucks. The bicycle has handlebars, a seat, spokes, and a chain. The motorcycle has an engine, oil tank, clutch, and brakes. Now, think about how you might combine these individual parts to build a new object. For example, you could perhaps build a jet ski by combining the skateboard’s deck, the bicycle’s seat, and the motorcycle’s tank and engine.

This process of deconstruction and reconstruction is known as first principles thinking, and it’s a tool used by some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

First principles thinking helps transform existing ideas into innovative propositions, often devising something that didn’t exist prior. This is very different than just incrementally improving the form of existing services and products. While it sounds simple in theory, in practice, it’s a different story.

A classic example that demonstrates the challenge of first principles thinking can be found in the modern suitcase. Even though messenger bags and wheeled wagons date back to Ancient Rome, no one thought of combining the two until 1970, when Bernard Sadow observed an airport worker hauling a heavy piece of machinery on a wheeled platform. And like that, five millennia after the invention of the wheel, the first piece of wheeled luggage was invented!

So there you have it – these are three ways that can help us all become more creative in our thinking, which translates to improved ways of doing business as entrepreneurs. And who knows? With our more creative ways of thinking, we might not only be able to grow our businesses, but we might also write a little science fiction and be among those persons who “boldly go where no one has gone before!”

– Alesia Visconti

Alesia Visconti, CFC, is the CEO/Publisher of Franchise Dictionary Magazine and the CEO of FranServe Inc., the world’s largest franchise consulting and expansion organization. She has 20 years of experience as a C-level executive, driving organizational development and taking companies to the next level. An author, professional speaker, and entrepreneur, her motto in life is “Work hard, play hard, help others, repeat.” A self-proclaimed nerd, Alesia loves all things “superhero.