By Shenelle Porter
Who comes to mind when you think about highly successful entrepreneurs and innovators? Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, or Oprah?
It is so easy to think that these successful people have a special power that no one else possesses, least of all us. Right?
Wrong! These people are willing to try new tactics and maintain their innovation, even when it is not always accepted right away. They practice their craft and push themselves; can you say the same?
I did some research to see what sort of tactics that successful people use for keeping themselves ahead. This WILL be the SPARK you need to not only think about your next big idea but execute on it. So get ready for 5 ways successful people use innovation to build success.
1. They Don’t Discount Their Crazy Ideas
There are many people who as kids had dreams of becoming doctors, veterinarians, or even astronauts. The innocent part of childhood is really believing that those dreams can become a reality. As we grow up too often, we shoot down our own ideas. Telling ourselves ” It’ll never work,” or ” I don’t have time”, or my personal favorite ” I don’t know how to do that, so it may not be for me”. Are you guilty of saying these types of things?
The thing is, those “crazy” ideas are where most of the world’s most successful innovations come from. The people who succeed in realizing these revolutionary advancements do so because they let themselves believe that a crazy idea could be a reality, THEIR reality.
Stop discounting your ideas that you have passion about but may not seem easily accessible. Have courage in all that you do. That is the number 1 way of the 5 ways successful people use innovation to build success.
Now about courage, let’s talk about it.
2. They Get Comfortable with Fear
A lot of people believe that, in order to be a leader in innovation, you have to be fearless.
In fact, quite the opposite is often true.
I read a book called Big Magic: Creative living beyond fear and prolific author Elizabeth Gilbert writes, “Creativity is a path for the brave, yes, but it is not a path for the fearless, and it’s important to recognize that distinction…we have to be careful how we handle our fear—because I’ve noticed that when people try to kill off their fear, they often end up inadvertently murdering their creativity in the process.”
In other words, successful innovators let their fear exist, but just don’t let it dictate their decision-making. Think about that for a minute, acknowledging the fear…but choosing to not allow it to lead their lives. They let themselves feel it, but they keep on going anyway.
3. They Learn About Anything and Everything
The best innovators are also some of the biggest learners, and not just about fields directly related to their work. They follow passions and interests that might not make sense. They dive into topic areas they know nothing about.
When was the last time you read a book about a topic or business you are interested in starting? Too often, people want the easy way out. They want the YouTube or Instagram TV version, but there is much more out there. Why settle? Think about it.
It has been said that “Learning naturally leads to cross-pollination and ideation. Ideation can lead to action. Action is how innovation comes to life.” Strive to learn something new daily.
4. They Never Think They Know It All
Even though we might think that successful people are truly the biggest experts in their fields, the ones who stay innovative never operate under that assumption. They are always looking to take their knowledge to the next level, to adjust to their customer base and market.
If you do have the expertise, there are ways to give yourself a fresh perspective: Surround yourself with non-experts, interview first-time customers, shop your own website.
Which brings me to my last point…
5. They Surround Themselves with Likeminded people
Successful innovators know that they can’t do it alone. The people who surround them—the people who they collaborate with on these revolutionary ideas—are just as critical to making them a success. Which is why they make it a priority to make sure that collaboration happens.
This is where I think a ton of people falls short. Having a fear of sharing their ideas. Scared that the other person or group will take their idea and use it for their benefit.
Think about it for a second, at some point we have ALL done it. Not sharing a plan or process to someone that we work due to fear of being overshadowed. Now, please note this isn’t me saying share EVERYTHING, but when you build those collaborative relationships that is your time to get inspiration and share inspiration. And those are the 5 ways successful people use innovation to build success
Keep up with Shenelle on her blog here. And you can find more entrepreneurs tips here.