Innovation is a powerful tool.  Since our world is less than perfect, innovation enables you to achieve goals others may consider unreachable.  Successful innovation involves working with what you have while striving to attain what you don’t have.

History is filled with examples of the awesome impact of innovation.  Innovation can change your life or it can change history.  Innovation is not constrained by the way things have always been done.  Rather, innovation breaks free of the way things have been done to entirely redefine the rules.  Successful innovation opens the flood gates for non-stop developments that propel us far beyond expectations.

For many thousands of years, people dreamed of flying.  Despite numerous attempts to fly, utilizing a wide variety of designs, soaring above the earth proved an elusive goal.  However, after the Wright brothers demonstrated in 1903 that flight was possible, it took only 67 years before man walked on the moon.

For millennia, since prehistoric times, an open flame was the sole source of light.  But after electricity’s first widespread commercial lighting applications in the mid 1800’s, it was less than 100 years before electricity was powering technological marvels such as radar and computers.

People did not live in a truly free society bestowed with generous personal liberty until the founding of our democracy in 1776.  Since then, America’s unequalled success has been the inspiration for democracies around the world.

As you can see, innovation breaks free from the established approach.  It looks at circumstances from an entirely new perspective.  Innovation is fueled by an open mind that is receptive to all possibilities.  Innovation flies in the face of “that’s the way it’s always been done.”

Ongoing learning accelerates innovation.  Innovation does not reinvent the wheel.  Rather, it builds on the current base of knowledge.  The successes and failures of others serve as the building blocks for further advances.  Sometimes radical innovation only requires changing the existing approach by 10% to 20%.  Innovation can be so simple that people respond to it with, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Innovation requires looking at things from different perspectives.  Innovators consider all options and approaches.  Innovators throw out assumptions and discard conventional wisdom.  Conversely, an attitude of “that’s impossible” stifles innovation.

Innovators don’t believe in limitations.  They believe the answers they need already exist.  Their goal is to uncover them.  Innovators minds are always open and searching for answers.  The solutions they need may appear at any time from any source, often when they don’t expect it. 

Innovation requires working with the resources you have at hand and using creativity to make up for anything that may be lacking.  Innovators become adept at adapting and improvising.  Creativity is a foundation for innovation. 

Since innovation involves doing something that has not yet been done, there are no established rules or guidelines to follow.  As such, innovators create a path where none has existed.  Once an innovation is established, many others follow along the same route, accelerating the subsequent progress.

Perseverance and determination are also essential characteristics innovators possess.  They understand that innovations take time and effort.  That is one reason why innovations elude so many.  Thomas Edison took 10,000 tries before he developed a working light bulb.  Most people would have declared the light bulb an impossible dream after a fraction of Edison’s attempts.

You can learn how to innovate in your own life from those that have gone before you.  Apply the same approaches to any problems, challenges, and obstacles you may have.  Believe in your ability to discover the solutions you need.  Give yourself credit for all innovations, no matter how small. 

NOW AVAILABLE:  "Dare to Live Without Limits," the book.  Visit www.BryanGolden.com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. E-mail Bryan at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or write him c/o this paper.  2010 Bryan Golden

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