Aug 17, 2022

Innovative Thinking: The Most Innovative Minds of All Time

Riley Schatzle

Introduction

In order to be successful in today's constantly-evolving world, people need to be able to think innovatively. But what is innovative thinking, and how can you develop it? 

In this blog post, we will explore those questions and more. We will take a look at the most innovative minds of all time and see what made them so successful. We'll also discuss some methods for developing your own innovative thinking skills

What is Innovative Thinking?

Innovative thinking can be defined as creative problem solving. It is the ability to see things from a different perspective and come up with new and unique solutions.

Central Drivers for Innovative Thinking

  • Be open to new ideas: If you want to be innovative, you need to be open to new and different ideas. This can be difficult if you’re used to thinking a certain way, but it’s important to remember that there is no one right way to do things.
  • Take risks: Innovative thinking often requires taking risks. This can be scary, but it’s important to remember that not all risks are created equal. You don’t need to take huge, life-altering risks to be innovative. Sometimes, the smallest changes can lead to the biggest results.
  • Be persistent: Innovative thinking often requires persistence. This means that you need to be willing to keep trying, even when it seems like you’re not making progress.
  • Be flexible: In order to be innovative, you need to be flexible and adaptable. This means that you need to be open to change and willing to try new things.
  • Be creative: This one is pretty self-explanatory – to be innovative, you need to be creative! This doesn’t mean that you need to be an artist or a musician. It simply means that you need to be able to see things from a different perspective and come up with new and unique solutions.

Some of the Most Innovative Thinkers of All Time

People are oftentimes driven by fear, but the most innovative thinkers are driven by curiosity. Here is a list of some of the most influential and innovative leaders of all time that pushed the world beyond the status quo.

  • Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs was the co-founder of Apple and one of the most innovative minds of our time. He changed the way we use technology with his revolutionary ideas. Jobs was the co-founder of Apple and is responsible for some of the most iconic products of our time, including the iPhone and iPad. He was a master of design and simplicity, and his products have had a profound impact on the way we live and work.
  • Elon Musk: Musk is the founder of Tesla, SpaceX, and several other startups. He is known for his ambitious projects, such as his plans to colonize Mars. Musk is a perfect example of an innovative thinker who isn’t afraid to take risks.
  • Isaac Newton: Isaac Newton is one of the most famous physicists of all time. He developed the laws of motion and gravity, which changed our understanding of the universe.
  • Marie Curie: Marie Curie was a scientist who discovered radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and is considered one of the most innovative thinkers of her time.
  • Nikola Tesla: Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer. He developed the AC induction motor, which is the basis for most modern electric motors.
  • Leonardo da Vinci: Leonardo da Vinci was a renaissance man who was ahead of his time. He was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, and scientist. He is considered one of the most innovative thinkers of all time.
  • Albert Einstein: Albert Einstein is one of the most famous scientists of all time. He developed the theory of relativity, which changed our understanding of space and time.

3 Ways to Become an Innovative Thinker

“Experimental” Mindset

Innovation requires an individual to adopt an experimental mindset. This means that you are constantly trying new things and iterating on your ideas. You don’t need to wait for someone to give you permission to try something new – just go for it!

One of the best ways to foster an experimental mindset is to work in an environment that encourages it. This could be a startup, a creative agency, or even a large corporation that has a culture of innovation.

Generate Lots of Ideas

The first step to thinking innovatively is to generate ideas and lots of them. They don’t have to be innovative ideas… at least not yet. 

To generate lots of ideas, you need to brainstorm and it’s best with a group of people (3-5). Brainstorming is a process where people come together and share their ideas without judgment. The goal is to come up with as many ideas as possible, no matter how crazy they may seem.

Once you have a list of ideas, it's time to start evaluating them. Not all of your ideas will be good, and that's okay. The goal is to find the one great idea that has the capability to impact the world.

Collect and Manage Your Ideas and Solutions

If you want to be more innovative, you need to start by collecting and managing your ideas and solutions. This can be done with a simple notebook or an online tool like Notion. Whenever you have a new idea, write it down or save it in your notebook. Then, periodically review your ideas and see which ones have the potential to become.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to innovative thinking, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. You need to find what works for you. 

For us, we recommend people to be open-minded, take risks, and experiment with new things. Most importantly, we know failure is inevitable, so don’t quit. It's through failure that we learn and grow.

THE END... for now ;)

Creative Asset Credit:
Md Mahdi