“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Steve Jobs
Dr. Silver Spencer, a scientist at 3M, was singing in his church choir. He noticed that his bookmark would often fall out, causing him to lose his place. Ever attentive to new ideas, he went to work on this problem, and came up with a concept called Sticky Notes. The rest is history!
How much do you think that idea was worth? How much do you think 3M has been reimbursed for that idea? How much success do you think it brought to Dr. Spencer and to his career?
Seth Godin, in his prolific writings, challenges all of us to become thought leaders. It’s not enough to mass market yourself; it’s not enough to parrot what everyone else is doing. People around us, employers around us, and customers around us are all hungry for people who will stand up and generate new and fresh content.
“Innovation is the central issue in economic prosperity.” Michael Porter
Would you like to achieve career prosperity and security? Develop your skill of being an innovative thinker, and you will be well on your way to achieving your goal.
Here are some key success factors to becoming an innovative thinker, employee, and/or business owner:
Change Your Mind!
This has been my number one stumbling block. “I’m not creative. I’m not original. I can’t think of anything fresh. There’s nothing new under the sun.” These are the automatic thoughts that come to mind when I see the terms “thought leader” and “innovator.” It’s ok to have those thoughts, but then ask yourself, “Are these thoughts taking me to where I want to be? Are they producing the results I want in my life?” I don’t think so!
Get used to gently or forcefully challenging those negative thoughts and beliefs with new ones: “I’m creative! I have a beginner’s mind! I am open to new ideas, and they come easily to me.”
As Henry Ford, inventor of the automobile, stated, “Believe you can. Believe you can’t. Either way you’re right.” In other words, are you going to choose to listen to your automatic thoughts, or are you going to cultivate new ones?
Cultivate Curiosity!
Here are some practical ideas for becoming curious in your business or industry:
Listen to your customers!
Listen to the happy ones, who are telling you what you are doing right! Listen to the unhappy ones, who are telling you what you are doing wrong! Listen to the creative ones, who are telling you what you should be doing! You can do this by using polls (SurveyMonkey is a great resource for generating surveys you can send to your customers: there is a free/basic option, and a low cost option) on your blog, or on your main website.
Expose yourself to different industries, books, opportunities. How often do you attend conventions within your industry, so that you can ‘rub shoulders’ with your competitors. How often do you read books that are totally outside the sphere of your normal industry/niche? Do you read fiction sometimes, if your preference is non-fiction, and vice-versa? The idea here is to mix it up: see if there are patterns from these different sources that you can incorporate into your own business or niche.
Keep a Journal
A great resource I would recommend is called the Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron. Ms. Cameron is an award-winning poet, playwright, and filmmaker, and was a professor at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, for a number of years. She believes that writing your thoughts out by hand have a way of building creativity.
If you prefer typing, I enjoy utilizing Evernote to store all kinds of information.
Keep a creativity box in which you can put an assortment of objects, article clippings, etc. that will help you develop your innovative side.
Escape!
When was the last time you took a day off from your normal routine? Get relaxed, go on a walk, sit alone in a room, play with your dog (or cat). Create some rituals to get into a ‘creative zone’, whether that is sipping a cup of warm tea, taking a relaxing bath, or practicing yoga. Some of my best creative energy comes when I am going on a long run.
Learn from Benjamin Franklin!
This founding father of the United States of America did two things that largely contributed to his creative state of mind. Mr. Franklin started the public library system and the postal system in the United States. He read books, he read books, and he read more books! For a period in his life, he did not participate in any ‘fun’ activities other than studying his books for at least one hour per day. In time, he felt a need to get together with other businessmen to discuss ideas, and out of this came many business ideas, public service activities, and other discoveries. In essence, he formed a mastermind group of creative and studious types who, together, were much more creative than any one person alone.
This patchwork of ideas is just a beginning. I hope that you will put on your creative thinking cap and start developing your innovation muscles. Because when you do, the world will benefit from your thinking!
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Hi Stephen
Welcome to CYT and thank you for your first post on CYT.
I think the article is a great one and timely in a world where we need innovation for ourselves and for the world. As knowledge workers we need innovation to show others the way, to become leaders in our field and use and develop our minds more and more.
I think all seven key success factors are crucial in life, not just for developing innovation. I especially like ‘Change your mind’ (maybe a bit biased there
) and developing curiosity.
Thanks Stephen, I know the CYT readers will give you a warm welcome.
Steven, thanks for the opportunity to contribute to your blog. The reference group we align ourselves with can make or break us. I’m grateful to be part of the CYT community, because it keeps my thoughts on track for positive and real life change
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
“The Artist’s Way” is a fabulous book! The author recommends writing out your thoughts free-hand to the tune of 3 pages at one sitting. Really remarkable what comes out of our heads and on to the page. I found it helpful and clarifying especially when I was stuck in some kind of back and forth decision-making. Clarity leads to innovation!
.-= Cheryl from thatgirlisfunny´s last blog ..23 Blogging Tips from Expert Bloggers – Blog Carnivals Rock! =-.
Cheryl, it really is a great book. I recommend that readers check the book itself out of the library, or buy it as an audio mp-3 or cd. Both listening to the text and getting the workbook have helped me tremendously. Journaling is a great way to get access to our intuition.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Wow, when I began reading this I was thinking that I was going to post a comment about “The Artist’s Way” because that was a big help in my creative development. Then I saw you mention it!
Yes! Keep a journal. Write down your thoughts and keep writing. The inspiration for innovation will come to you. It seems like magic, but there’s something real behind it. The creativity is in you, you just must let it out! Awesome stuff!
.-= Matt Maresca´s last blog ..Be Bold: It’s the Only Way to Stand Out From the Other Characters =-.
What I like from your comment is the point of how writing in itself brings out the creativity. And there’s something about writing longhand that taps the creative brain. So if you are purely into typing, you might want to pick up a pen and paper
Also, I like the idea of carrying a notebook and/or recorder (I have one on my phone) everywhere you go, because the ideas are everywhere around us.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Hey Stephen,
I think innovation is essential to differentiating yourself and your business. And it this world, differentiation makes, well… the difference
I wish they would teach this stuff in primary school. Maybe we wouldn’t have so many droids with no uniqueness around, trying to find a job, make a living etc
Eduard, I suppose it’s up to us to give the schools a lesson in teaching. And to teach others that we meet each day by modeling this skill
By the way, the name of your blog looks very interesting. Can you tell me a little more about what your blog’s focus is: is it people skills for the workplace, or in general?
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Great list of ways to help cultivate innovation. I wasn’t surprised to see it was by Steve from Personal Success Factors.
The method I use most often is Read, Read, Read. The one I find the most difficult (but one I am cultivating) is the Art of Escape. I am working on giving myself permission to play more.
However, it seems that journaling is the theme in the comment section and I can understand why. A dear friend and mentor of mine taught me to carry a journal with me at all times. He said, “Always carry a book to read, and a book to write in.” I was grateful for that advice and as a result I have been able to capture many ideas that would have slipped away if I hadn’t had a way to instantly capture it. You just never know when and where inspiration may come to you.
.-= Leisa Watkins´s last blog ..Life Lessons: It’s a Matter of Perspective =-.
Leisa, great to see you here
Are all your sites up and running again? I sure hope so! Just curious, how do you structure your reading plan? Do you like to read most in the morning or evening? Please do share with us, once you’ve come back from your Escape, where you went off to! 
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Most of them are. I keep finding residual problems which are taking much more time than I had hoped.
My reading plan is basically to have a book handy at all times. (Actually I usually have several with me). As a business owner, a homeschooling mom, and community volunteer I have learned to sneak in reading where ever I can. I’ll read five minutes here and fifteen minutes there. I dedicate Sunday to my longer study time.
As far as the escape goes – I did just got back from an escape to Arches National Park. It was wonderful!
.-= Leisa | Wealth, Wisdom and Success´s last blog ..Life Lessons: It’s a Matter of Perspective =-.
Thanks for sharing your reading plan, Leisa. It’s a great idea to just have a book handy at all times. I have also found that, with my phone, I have an app that allows for some free audiobooks. So when I’m in the car, I often will just listen to a book! It’s a great way to feed the brain, and soul
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Wow, I read an article the other day that was talking about something very similar to this and it really hit home. The article was actually directly relating our focus on service and education and our lack of innovation here in america to our economic decline and why we can no longer be sure of doing as well or better than our parents. Nobody is finding problems to solve, we are all just trudging away in the day to day. The article I read was at http://brucejacob.tumblr.com/post/373498114/academia-and-the-decline-of-wealth-in-america very interesting and thanks for writing. I have a feeling this will come to light more and more!
.-= TC´s last blog ..High-Intensity Interval Training Gets the Job Done in Less Time =-.
TC, that’s one fantastic article! I think the article underlined the importance of innovation even more than I ever could have done. Thank you for sharing
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Sometimes, the most innovative of ideas come when we least expect them. I agree that taking notes is very crucial as it helps us remember those fleeting ideas we have
.-= Julius´s last blog ..Can Blind People See? =-.
Julius, capturing ideas in general is so very helpful. David Allen, the Getting Things Done guru, talks very clearly about this in his latest book, How It All Works. Just by capturing these ideas, then translating them into clear action steps/plans, we will be way ahead of the curve in translating innovation to productive solutions.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Hi Stephen,
What a refreshing post! – full of practical and useful tips.
I am currently doing a course at work and I find the main benefit of it is to get you stand outside of your normal routines and take a fresh look at how you do things (and don’t get defensive about how you do things). Its really helpful in getting you to step outside the “tyranny of routine”. I’m taking next week off as holiday to rest up and apply the same approach to my life outside of work and see what I come up with.
“Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought” – Albert Szent-Gyorgyi
Thanks
Gareth
Albert, you are so correct. It really helps to develop what Zen masters called the Beginner’s mind, which is a childlike delight and curiosity with everything around them as new.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Gareth, I so apologize! I called you Albert, after the author of the quote. Sorry about that.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Excellent post. I think the one thing that helps me the most is to just get away, even if it’s for a few hours or for a whole 3 day weekend. It helps clear my head, un-clutter things and helps me gain perspective on what i want as well as focus on what i have to do.
.-= Josiah | Free iPad´s last blog ..Amazon.com Introduces iPad App =-.
You’ve got a good point about getting away. Brian Tracy recommends laser focus and productivity while at work, so that you get more done than the average person, thus freeing up time for more time off. The time off replenishes you, and you are then able to continue to have the laser focus while at work.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Thanks a lot, Stephen, for such a helpful info. Being an innovative thinker is really important. And your post helps to discover one’s creativity.
Thanks again! Nice article!
.-= Roman Soluk´s last blog ..How to become a perfect woman =-.
Roman, thank you for your input. The next challenge, having realized that it’s an important skill, is to take the time each day to practice and develop it. That’s where I am today. It’s like a marathon (read prior post): you’ve got to be patient and persistent, but your skill will grow over time.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
You are right here. Patience and Persistence are perhaps the most important keys in achieving any success.
.-= Roman Soluk´s last blog ..How to become a perfect woman =-.
Hi Stephen,
I must say, this is a very nice topic you picked out here. Very well written, and you backed it all up with nice suggestions on giving me some ideas I wasn’t aware of, like keeping a journal of my thoughts…hmmmm…
Thank-you for this helpful post,
–Parker
.-= Parker Lee | howtomingle´s last blog ..9 Ways To Say I Like You =-.
Parker, I’m glad you found an ideas helpful. It only takes one idea, as you know from your extensive study of personal development. By the way, your site is very intriguing, since I work with a lot of ‘socially awkward’ persons at times. I’ll have to bookmark it
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Hi Stephen, I really enjoyed your guest post. I’ve read two of Cameron’s books on the creative process and found them to be terrific resources. When I was first starting out as a freelance journalist they really helped me to percolate creativity. Her morning pages & artist dates were the best suggestions I’ve ever got and have helped me immensely over the years.
.-= Angela Artemis´s last blog ..Intuition: Will We Ever Learn how It Works? =-.
Hi, Angela: Thanks for sharing your experience with the morning pages. I found it interesting that David Allen, the GTD (Getting Things Done) guru, recommends journaling as a way of tapping into core soul values and more right brain intuition as to what is going on in his life. He is a very left brained, analytical person, but he recognizes the need for tapping into creative processes to be complete.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Hi Stephen,
It amazing what sparks of inspiration you can get when you’re out and about and in a totally different space to your norm! I often get my flashes of insight while I’m driving or while I’m sipping at my hot chocolate. I’ve noticed something though, I’m in a very specific state when that happens, I’m in a very relaxed, almost dazed but meditative state.
Creative ideas can be both tangible and non-tangible and and so you have grab each idea with both hands and cherish them all because you never know which will be your kingmaker.
.-= Amit Sodha – The Power Of Choice´s last blog ..Book Review – The Emissary By Milan Bakrania =-.
“Creative ideas can be both tangible and non-tangible and and so you have grab each idea with both hands and cherish them all because you never know which will be your kingmaker.”
That’s got to be a quotable! If I were you I would package and market that quote
For me, the most creative moments come when I am on a jog/run. I love the peacefulness that comes from being outside and alone with my thoughts.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
You’re right, that wasn’t a bad quote was it! LOL
.-= Amit Sodha – The Power Of Choice´s last blog ..Book Review – The Emissary By Milan Bakrania =-.
Steve -
Great title on this blog post – infinite returns! That certainly got me intrigued. I think that creativity and innovation are not only vital for professional and personal success, but also for fulfillment and enjoyment. You have some really solid suggestions for fostering creativity that I think are useful. One book I read on the subject made the point that usually the new occurs by taking ideas from different spheres and blending them together (eg combine digital music and the walkman = ipod). This helps to take the pressure off innovation for me – you don’t need to have a bolt from god to innovative, just make like Ben Franklin and learn a lot about the world. Great post.
Phil
.-= Phil – Less Ordinary Living´s last blog ..How to avoid getting fired by George Clooney =-.
Jay Abraham, a management consultant ‘guru’, who has been extremely innovative, talks a lot about taking existing ideas from industries outside of our own and trying to find out how some of their ideas/ways of doing business can apply to our own industry. That’s why I like the idea of learning from different spheres and being curious about how they can be combined.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Hi Stephen,
Great stuff. You offer some tangible points on an elusive subject. When we relax the mind we all have access to infinite intelligence. And as you point out, innovation is not reserved for the Ben Franklin’s and Steve Job’s of the world. All the ideas are out there and it is our choice to let them in or not. We all have the power to be a superlative creator when we accept that there is ONE POWER in our lives — That power is YOU. You mention some very pragmatic tools to open up to innovation. Thanks for the post!
Rob, you have a very good point, which goes back to changing our thoughts about ourselves and our capabilities. It’s so easy for us to let negative self-talk, or core beliefs, hamper our ability to accept our potential to be creative and innovative.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Hi Stephen,
Great and valuable post but the author’s name of “The Artist’s Way” is Julia Cameron, not Joyce.
cheers
Deborah
.-= Deborah Wall´s last blog ..To fall in love is easy, but it is a hard quest worth making to find a comrade through whose steady presence one becomes the person one desires to be. — Anna Louise Strong =-.
Deborah, thank you for the correction
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Thanks Stephen, very nice, informative article.
You mentioned, “change your thoughts.” This is one of the most important skills that is needed to achieve one’s goals. If we think “outside the box,” we sure to achieve whatever we want.
Thanks for sharing
.-= Dia´s last blog ..How to attract money and wealth? =-.
I love that you’ve suggested changing your mind as a way to open up to innovation. So often I hear people say there’s nothing left to discover – no wonder they can’t find anything new! I truly believe there’s an unlimited supply of new discoveries out there, we just have to open our minds up to them!
Topi
.-= Topi´s last blog ..5 lessons I’ve learned from my children =-.
Topi, thanks for the comment. It’s true that the ideas are everywhere: we just have to get tuned into them. Jay Abraham’s book, 25 Ways to Get More of What You Want From What You’ve Got (I’m paraphrasing the title, but I think that’s the gist). I recommend it as a great read for more ideas on creativity.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Great post Stephen!
You really nailed some powerful ways to let ideas flow. I like what Einstein said “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”
I find that when I’m doing something I enjoy; hiking, working out, mediating that I receive lots of innovative ideas.
Journaling and mind mapping the ideas helps get them organized so that I can take action on them.
Thanks for the fantastic post.
I have had a ton of success by exposing myself to things outside of my current industry. Many of the books that I have read have nothing to do with my current line of work but they have given me inspiration to try things I never would have done on my own. I say the greatest attribute that I use for my own personal growth is curiosity. Now to work on becoming an “innovative thinker”
Great Work. I am looking forward to reading more from you in the future.
.-= Frnk´s last blog ..Keep Moving Forward =-.
Spelled my own name wrong. It is Frank.
.-= Frank´s last blog ..Keep Moving Forward =-.
Frank, you are correct. Reading constantly is great, and so is reading with the idea of becoming innovative.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Gregg, I’m also a fan of mind mapping. There is something about drawing things out that really goes well with writing them out: it’s a great way to synthesize the right and left brains. Thanks for your comment
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Stephen wrote,
“This has been my number one stumbling block. “I’m not creative. I’m not original. I can’t think of anything fresh. There’s nothing new under the sun.”
Probably my biggest stumbling block. I’m thankful I’m aware of it and recognize it most of the time. However, old habits die hard.
.-= Colleen´s last blog ..Tri Cities Washington Cold Winter Nights Makes For Abundant Springtime Babies =-.
Colleen, old habits die hard, but the point is that we can kill them
It’s key that we talk to ourselves in a compassionate but persistent way, each time the old thinking comes up, we can notice it without judging it, and change our thoughts 
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Do You Make These Mistakes On Your Quest for Luck? =-.
Great post! From Change your mind to Keep a Journal to Escape to Read, Read, Read…some are easier said than done, but those who do will create a great path while others will only follow. Changing your mind is a constant battle…I find myself losing battles to the enemy “in-a-me” from time to time so I have to be constantly on guard…that is where the other points come in to assist…journaling allows the release and reflection, escaping clears the mind, and reading fills your mind with the right thoughts that will lead to positive results.
Thx for sharing!
jbledsoejr, you summarized the points of doing war with the ‘in-a-me’ very well. It’s true that we have to go on a mental diet often, eliminating negative influences, and feeding the brain with positive mental nutrition in order to stay positive.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Check Out These Success Factors of World Class Performers =-.
This is a great post. very insightful information. thank a lot
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