Bring innovation into your life! How to bring it?
Is it that difficult? But I say that life itself is an innovation. Every development in our life is like an innovation. Through innovation called hard work, we make life more productive. Innovation is nothing but doing things in a new or different way, a new method or a new idea. Like hard work, it is also a stepping stone to success. A quote says “If a plan doesn’t work, change the plan but never the goal”. Innovation is similar to the quote. It is like a road to a destination. If one road doesn’t help in reaching the destination, change the route but it should be in a positive direction. It is like an experiment to make something work. It can be an idea to boost business or it can be a new way to achieve a goal.
Let me share one of my experiences, a couple of months ago, my cousin shared an observation with me. When she told me I realised that it is an innovative idea of a breakfast street vendor (a person who sells breakfasts in the morning by roaming streets). He used to sell 5 different types of South Indian breakfasts to students near a college. Generally, the price of a plate breakfast (A plate may consist of 4 idlis or 2 dosas or 2 vadas or 2 puris or a cup of upma or Pongal) is between 20 to 30 rupees in Indian currency. If a student wants more than one item, the price would be around Rs.50.00 which is not affordable for a student daily. That vendor though he is moderately educated, applied an innovated idea in his business. Instead of giving 4 idlis or 2 dosas for 20 or 30 rupees, he sold one idly or dosa for Rs.5.00 or Rs.10.00. Then for twenty or 30 rupees, a student can have a combo of an idly, dosa, puri or another item within their budget. The sales of that vendor improved and the profit also. Here the business is the same but the presentation is different which improved and made a customer happy. That is the power of innovation. It not only applies to business or career but to personal growth also. I say, in fact without innovation life will be boring and dull.
Let’s see the ways how innovation can be developed…
1. A talent everyone has:
Innovation like creativity is not rocket science, to think that it can be acquired by experts or people with high IQ. Everyone is born creative and it is a talent everyone has but we need to bring it out from our selves. It starts with the crayon box or Lego bricks in kindergarten. In fact, human birth and body is a sculpture of creativity and human civilization is full of innovations and inventions. Whenever we marvel at someone’s creativity, it a sign that we too can create and innovate because like minds will recognise the talent. It just takes time to bring the innovative side and with a bit of practice, this creative talent comes easily when called.
2. Listen to your creative mind:
Every mind is unique in the creative process. One person’s thoughts are different from another person. If any new idea lights up in your mind bulb, do not waste your time and effort trying to make people understand it or for their feedback. If the feedback is negative then it may diminish your thinking.
It is better to follow the rhythm of your own mind drum. If we listen and take other people’s input, it may bring cacophony to the music of innovation you are trying to compose. Build your idea on a positive note and spend time on it to analyse its impact on reality but make sure it would not impact your daily life or career entirely. A little discipline and time management is necessary for everything.
3. A fit body and a fit mind:
A fit body leads to a fit mind. For each and every development in our life, health is very important and physical health is directly proportional to mental health. Exercise like walking, running a mile, burning some calories should be our daily routine. When we exercise, our body releases chemicals called endorphins which run coursing through our veins. These endorphins interact with the brain receptors which reduce any depression or pain. Studies proved that regular exercise reduces stress, boost self-esteem and improve sleep. A good sleep result in a fresh and healthy mind which is the base for creativity.
4. Don’t ignore your dreams:
I say that dreams are the spirit and sources of innovative ideas. They are the craziest stories, emotions and images that our subconscious mind create while we sleep. They are like the untapped innovative power lying within us. Record those dreams by jotting down those notes as possible. Who knows the mind has kick-started the innovative spark. Maintaining a dream journal helps us to note down the details of a dream quickly or even vaguely also. Maybe one of the dreams can become the outline of a great story or novel.
5. Find your own style:
Every person has their own style in doing things like writing, giving speeches, cooking, driving etc. It is good to stick to one’s own style while delivering or implementing an innovative idea. People will appreciate more if the idea is uniquely yours and in your unique style and on one else has got that idea. It helps people to recognise what a valuable asset the idea is or that person who has such an innovative mind. Opportunities naturally come to those with a talent and an opportunity is the stepping stone to an experience.
6. No need for hi-fi things:
While implementing an idea, there is no need for hi-fi things like nifty gadgets or tools. One doesn’t need the most expensive set of paints, smooth papers, costly pens, expensive camera etc. to produce a masterpiece. The now billionaire world-famous writer J.K Rowling wrote her first book of the Harry Potter series on bits of tissue paper. The content of an idea is more important than its presentation. Remember something great or destined to be great will start from simplicity, like the e-commerce bigshot Amazon which started in a garage.
7. Passion:
Passion adds colour to our dream to achieve something in life. It is like a thought which wakes us up in the mornings, which keeps the flame of our inner desire burning and it is that one thing that makes a person think that they will die if they don’t do it. That is passion. One famous personality once quoted that if you are not doing something that you want to do, then you really do not want to do it and it is true. If we really want to do something, we definitely begin the process and keep going.
Sometimes it is possible that passion takes over talent. Talented people are overtaken by the people who want it to happen more. Those people have the inner fire to make that thing to happen and taste success just like the moral in the story of “Hare and The Tortoise”. This is the passion that will keep you moving forward towards your goals which begin with ideas.
8. Inspiration is around you:
Inspiration, Innovation and Implementation are the three key factors to achieve anything. If we can see, inspiration is always around us and if one is not able to see, try not to worry because it can’t be forced. It has to come naturally and it hits when we are not expecting for it but when it comes we have to be ready to welcome it, understand it and to embrace it. An innovative idea can strike us on anytime for example, in a bar, on a subway, while observing people etc. We just need to pen down the idea as soon as we feel it. It is better to have a pen and a piece of paper or any means within an arm’s reach at all times to record the idea. Who knows maybe that idea would change the world someday for good.
One last important thing is that innovation should bring self-satisfaction and the greater good for ourselves and for those around us including the environment and planet on which we live. It is our duty as highly developed beings to look after ourselves and the other living beings on this Earth.
Let an innovation lead to happiness and healthy living!
Mallika lotus Blog 