Preparing your Mind to be Innovation Ready

What makes business or a home utility product in 2018, popular? The answer is simple, it is “Innovation”. We already have a platter full of things and life is no more a struggle for survival rather more of refinement. And the biggest example would be that two FMCG companies manufacturing similar products, however, one sticks to its conventional form of advertisement, packaging and another has revamped its entire outlook, it’s not a rocket science to guess which of the two will earn more revenue.

In the banking sector as well this can be seen, two banks offer the same services, but one is more preferred over the other, so what brings in this difference? The list can be unending.

Since the market has become more consumer-driven, the demand starts with their interest and a brands popularity also rests on customer reviews which creates a ripple or domino effect in the entire business space. Have you ever imagined in 90’s that you receive calls from customer care executives for taking your feedback? Probably ‘No’. Things have become very streamlined and interconnected and this leaves a lot of space for innovation, but how? Is it only the forte of someone who is governed by their right brain? Probably not only them, as all need to build in innovative ideas to excel.

Let us ponder on the definition of Innovation. In the most generic way, we can say it is the ability to look and transform a simple thing into a lucrative or an eye-catchy one. So ideally, it is not your physical effort that drives a successful innovation, but your faculty of looking at a same boring thing in a rather distinct way.

Sneak peek into the steps to get the innovation out in you-

Do you have an opinion? Shout out Loud!

Oscar Wilde says, “ Be Yourself; everyone else is already taken.” It is not always negative to have opinions and reservations about what you feel right, as it might spark a healthy debate which can further open up the mind for newer wisdom.

Your opinion might be flawed but it can change your perspective of looking at things as other might be in complete disagreement with you which might bring forth new ideas and avenues.

Curiosity is the Mother of all Innovations

Do you remember that it was curiosity that made you destroy your Dad’s wristwatch when you were a child? You probably did not gather something important but it did push forward your boundaries of existing knowledge. Lot of times this type of small forbidden forays can make you utter ‘Eureka!’ after having discovered something new. Most of the technical advancements that have been accomplished, do have such insignificant expedition in its core.

Find comfort in the uncomfortable

Are you sure that you will witness tomorrow’s dawn? Yes, we are uncertain. But we hardly care as we are comfortable with it. Untoward incidents, new territories always panic us, however, we fail to realise that we cannot look beyond now and the secret to success lies in taking part in every day’s unknown chores with full spirit.

Finding comfort or accepting an uncomfortable situation or domain can help you to bring forward new ways of fixing the issue, simultaneously, preparing your mind to handle more such things in the future. It is truly a blessing in disguise. Just play with the uncharted and you will be able to mould it into something lucrative.

Get your hands dirty

Practical knowledge is always different from studying theories in the classroom as surface knowledge does not always reveal the inner core thus impeding innovation. Brainstorming can bring forth a Million dollar idea but one can realise its optimal potentiality with proper research.

It is a known fact there is always a gap between conceptualising an idea and actually implementing it, have you realised, why? Ideas are immaterial and a figment of the imagination. To make it tangible it requires a whole blueprint to be executed physically.

Devour all the news, articles and case studies

Daily posts, news articles and case studies not only update you on the latest business models, technologies and new areas of business, it ushers motivation as well. Dedicate time to browse over such news which will surely open you up to new ideas.

Develop Perseverance

"Rome was not built in One day."

Perseverance is a great virtue; respect all the hard work you have done to achieve everything till date. Often time you do not see wonders happening easily and pushing too hard can make you feel mentally exhausted, so let go of things to make more mental space. Be persistent in a softer way to make a room for new ideas to evolve.

Make your Failures Memorable

It is often good to fail rather than thinking the contrary. Failure grounds us and helps us to understand where did we go wrong and which can be taken as a base for not committing similar mistakes in the future. Often time we get bogged down thinking that failures make us lag behind, in reality, it is brooding over an unsuccessful event for a longer period of time creates the problem. Celebrate your failures as if you have upgraded your knowledge then a pain will convert into something useful.

Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes.

How often did you feel that all big game-changing ideas started big? Maybe very few. If you take for example the Corporate competitions which engage students to solve challenges faced by the organization. Often times, the winning ideas are implemented because of their quality, viability and all the additional virtues. These ideas did not come from the CxOs but from the students who are pretty novice in the area of actual business.

Innovative ideas are those sparks of the creative process which no one can claim a monopoly in. Unleash the horse of your intellect to bring forth exceptional ideas and derive inspiration from both significant and insignificant things and all startup ideas bear a testimony to this. Think Big!