4 Ways To Be More Innovative in 2018

Is 2018 the year that you (or your ensemble, your organization) are going to launch that creative idea you have been working on? Or maybe you hope to grow/expand an existing idea or project this year.  One thing is for sure – we could all benefit from thinking like innovators and upping our innovation game this year. Here are 4 tips for 2018:

1. Give Yourself Space and Time.  Most people need to be refilled with inspiration and energy in order to produce innovative ideas.  Working, teaching, serving others – these activities can energize us but they also drain us.  Make time and space for yourself to recharge and this will no doubt help your innovative and creative thinking. This could be small things like taking a walk at lunch time (or anytime!), spending time on your favorite hobby, or perhaps a bigger step like taking a day or two “work retreat” (at home or somewhere else) to think about your upcoming month, year, projects, etc.
2. Read More. Reading utilizes our imagination, something that is crucial to innovation. Find things to read that you enjoy – it could be poetry, fiction, non-fiction, a magazine, etc. Even just a few pages at night will help exercise your imagination.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Fail.  Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from trying something. Is the idea too big? Too risky?  Come up with a scaled-down version that is more managable. Find a way to try it.  If it doesn’t work, or you aren’t happy with the results, learn from it and move on.  But first, try.  If we want to innovate, we have to be willing to accept a certain amount of risk.
4. Write Things Down. Have a little notebook, or an app on your phone – some way of capturing ideas.  When you think of something creative, silly, interesting, fascinating, write it down.  Think of it as a little bank where you are depositing interesting thoughts, ideas, and observations. You collect them and eventually you come back and withdraw some of those things to use in your work.