By: Taryn Elliott
Often when we think of innovation, we think of the big things: the wheel, the automobile, A.I.
But innovation does not have to be the big things. It can be the small things as well. And it can be personal.
Innovation: a new idea, method, or device: NOVELTY; the introduction of something new (Merriam Webster)
But innovation is imperative. Innovation is something that should be woven into every aspect of our lives – from the jobs we do to the careers we carve out, from the way we show up for our friends and family to how we contribute to our communities.
Often the easiest path forward is doing what we have always done, which leads us to fall back into familiar patterns. But we all know the kiss of death when someone says “but we have always done it that way.” This is where innovation steps in. Where innovation needs to step in.
Innovation can be as easy as asking one simple question: “what is another way we can achieve our desired outcome?”
I ask myself this question a lot. And it is not always easy. Often the answer does not come immediately, not in the office, or in the meeting. Rather, the answer often comes when we allow ourselves the freedom to be creative and think outside the box. When we allow ourselves to lean into the idea that there is something better if we just open ourselves up to the possibility, that is when we start to see a solution.
Innovation is what differentiates you from your competitors. It is what makes you better today than you were yesterday, or last week, or last year. And it is imperative for our success. The world we live in is constantly evolving and changing. If we do not change, we are at risk of becoming stagnant.
But how do you make innovation a standard part of your life?
You can start by managing your future – set goals, both short and long-term, for yourself and your business. Next, read, have discussions, listen to podcasts, watch Ted Talks – both inside and outside of your discipline. Learn something new. Become a better communicator. At some point, you will need to “sell” your idea, and you want to be able to do that efficiently and effectively. Finally, be open. While you might have a great idea, others may have valuable ideas as well. (Peanut butter is great, and chocolate is great, but they are both better together.) And while you are being open, be open to failure. Some of the greatest inventions our world has ever seen have come from learning from failure.
If you strive for the best version – of yourself, of your work, of your life – innovation will naturally follow.
