Tales from a Female VC: Innovation
The ‘power of innovation’ is a phrase that sounds like a corporate tactic or slogan, a secret talent worthy of only the rich and powerful. Actually, the power of innovation is an innate quality that we all possess. If you tend to marvel at the creativity of others, you may be surprised that you can create and innovate too. Everyone is born with creativity. Just watch a group of preschoolers with a box of crayons. The potential isn’t limited to a chosen few; it’s shared by all.
Think of how long it took to learn to ride a bike, drive a car, or learn to stop making the same mistakes. Discover your natural innovation can take the same amount of practice. Innovation is a mind function that needs to be called, and can become lazy if it’s not nurtured. The purpose here is to share a few tips bring innovation into your life.
Don’t listen to what other people say, but follow the beat of your own drum. Letting other people have influence will only bring cacophony to the music you are trying to make. If you have an original idea, don’t waste your time and effort trying to make people understand. Their lack of understanding can spoil your creative spirit, and the help they offer will likely come in the form of negative feedback. Consider history’s greatest geniuses. If they had listened to their doubtful peers, we might still be living in the middle ages.
Spend time on your creative process. Give it as much attention as possible, but don’t quit your day job. It might take some time management slight of hand, but adjust your schedule to accommodate both your professional obligations and your creative endeavors.
Exercise. Walk around the block, ride a bike or jog a mile or two. When you send all those endorphins coursing through your veins, your brain will take notice. Exercising brings a clarity and sense of relaxation to your mind. It’s in this state that the best ideas can seem to come from nowhere.
Record your dreams. Sometimes, dreams bring thoughts that your conscious mind can barely comprehend. Vivid dreams are proof that you possess an untapped innovative power that needs to be let loose. Recording your dreams can creative the innovative spark that you need.
Find your style. Art lovers can always tell a Van Gogh from a Matisse. Literary critics can identify a story by Hemingway, just from the choice of words on the paper. You have your own unique style. People will appreciate your innovation more because it is uniquely yours, and no one else could have possibly known what you were thinking. Allow people to see your innovation and they will appreciate how valuable an asset you are.
Forget the gadgets and tools. You don’t need the most expensive set of paints to produce a masterpiece, or an expensive fountain pen or laptop computer to write the next bestseller. In fact, J.K. Rowling wrote the first book of the Harry Potter Series on bits of tissue. Expensive SLR cameras can’t help if you have no photographic skills. An artist who uses fewer tools relies more on their natural abilities, and learns what works and what doesn’t.
Without passion, tools of the trade are useless. To find your passion, think of the drive that wakes you up in the morning and keeps your flame burning bright all day. Sometimes those who work hard to obtain it can overshadow the people with natural talent. Consider the story of the tortoise and the hare. Ellen Degeneres once said that if you’re not doing something that you want to do, then you don’t really want to do it. Sometimes the drive you have to achieve can make you virtually unstoppable. That is your passion.
Inspiration can come out of nowhere, and it can also be hard to find. You can’t force inspiration. It hits when you least expect it, in unpredictable yet inevitable moments. Be prepared for those moments of inspiration. An idea can strike you on the subway, but if you don’t have a sheet of paper handy, you can miss out on the thought that can change the world. Avoid these creative disasters. Have a pen and paper within your arm’s reach at all times.
Innovation can be brought into your life, even if you believe that you haven’t a creative bone in your body. Keep in mind that you’re search for innovation is to satisfy your expectations and meet your goals, not anyone else’s. Soon enough, those around you will begin to notice your creative flair.