“Capital isn’t that important in business. Experience isn’t that important. You can get both of these things. What is important is ideas.” – Harvey Firestone

Ideas are what make the future better. Without innovation all things become stale and lifeless over time. An organization’s most important commodity are ideas. I remember watching an interview with Steve Jobs not long ago about his take on why Apple started to fail after they removed him from the company. He basically said the company replaced innovators with salesman and out of touch executives. In an effort to produce more, at a faster rate, and make more money, they lost their innovative spirit and drive that once set them apart. Jobs went on to say that most companies get it backwards. Instead of placing the creative players at the top, they put administrators at the top. A company loses its competitive edge when this happens.

When innovation becomes secondary the future starts to fade away. Rather than trying new ideas, and creating new opportunities, organizations simply manage what already exist. This happens for individuals as well. When you stop being innovative in your life, you stop creating greater possibilities for your future. We were created with the ability to be creative. We were designed with ingenuity to innovate. We have been given the potential to generate possibilities. But we cannot settle and become stagnant in our efforts. Your life will only get better when you start to make it better. Greatness does not fall in  your lap, it is created from within. Quit being a boring person and start doing something with your life and the ideas in your mind. Innovation is about experiencing. And experiencing is about getting involved.

As you are reading this right now I challenge you to stop being complacent and start becoming committed to being more innovative with your life. What does that look like? Here are some tips…

• Do something creative with your family, take a trip with them somewhere interesting or fun.
• Start a blog about your favorite topic and share your ideas with the world.
• Save some money and invest into something you’ve always wanted.
• Develop the skills you are passionate about and start pursuing opportunities to use them.
• Go do something you’ve always been fearful of doing.
• Start working on the dream that has always been in your heart to do.
• Go serve in your community in an area that stretches you out of your comfort zone.
• Go take a hike and spend time with God in His amazing creation.
• Go to a conference about something you want to grow in.
• Try new foods you’ve never tried.
• Write your ideas down and spend time thinking about how to do them.
• Learn how to play an instrument.
• Take an art class, or cooking class, or dance class, DO SOMETHING to experience life.
• Think about how to make your house more comforting and practical.
• Wach videos, read books, browse blogs on how to be more innovative.
• Hire a LIFE COACH…like me!
• Quit making excuses and start making ways.
• START ACTING ON YOUR IDEAS!