The Perfect Poison to SuccessMy perfectionism and procrastination
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 11:40
Mike passed the stack of test papers over his back to me. I lifted one off the top, sniffed the blue mimeograph ink, then passed the rest behind me to Laylah. The teacher instructed us to begin. It started out easy enough; all I had to do was… What’s the Problem?The most important component of innovation is finding the right problem to solve
Thu, 08/28/2014 - 09:52
Albert Einstein once said, “If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it.”
On September 4 in 1957, amid great fanfare, Ford Motor Co. introduced the Edsel line of automobiles… Surprise: Creativity Is a Skill, Not a GiftYou can reacquire your creative ability with these steps
Thu, 05/15/2014 - 00:00
In today’s highly competitive business climate, creativity can no longer be limited to artists and inventors. The marketplace is changing rapidly, and in the words of Intel Chairman, Andrew Grove, companies must “adapt or die!” Every organization… Outsourcing InnovationIdeas from other industries may be just what you need
Tue, 02/25/2014 - 12:33
During the early 2000s, Allan Goldman, M.D., a chief physician at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, a children’s hospital in London, observed that too many mistakes were being made when patients were transferred from surgery to ICU. It seemed that… Cultivating Creative EmployeesInnovative ideas seldom drop fully formed into our heads
Thu, 11/14/2013 - 09:14
When I was studying abnormal psychology in college, I read a case study of an unusual mental illness. It was so fascinating that I thought it would be the perfect vehicle for a novel. Thus my idea for a story was born, but it would be eight years… Creative Thinking Crashes Without This CharacteristicExposure to experience is the source code for creativity
Fri, 10/11/2013 - 12:44
Last spring my dog, Buddy, started chasing chipmunks. They would quickly escape into one of their holes in the ground, where he would dig for a few minutes, then give up. Then one day a chipmunk ran into the mouth of the corrugated plastic pipe… The Riches of EmbarrassmentDon’t let terminal self-conciousness get in the way of what you want to accomplish
Mon, 09/16/2013 - 14:56
When I was a boy, I heard a story about a hot-dog stand owner, who would put on a clown costume, then stand on the sidewalk every day and wave motorists into his business. He was so successful he was able to send his son to college. Upon graduating… Play the ‘What If?’ GameWhat if you came up with a great idea?
Thu, 07/11/2013 - 16:19
With the publication of my humorous children’s novel, The Annoying Ghost Kid (Robert Evans Wilson, Jr., 2011), I have had the opportunity to go into elementary schools and teach kids a game that shows them how the creative process works. It’s a… I Dare You to Read ThisUltimately, all our challenges are self-given because it is human nature to want to improve
Wed, 06/12/2013 - 09:23
Recently, a reader wrote me to suggest that rather than trying to encourage someone, a better way to motivate them is to issue a challenge. So, I felt challenged to write about it.
Whenever I think of laying down a challenge, I think of a classic… When Stories Work Better Than FactsForget the head and go for the heart
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 16:24
Recently I was asked by the sales manager of a company if I could reach his staff with a message he had been trying to “beat into their heads for months” (his words, not mine).
He wanted me to accomplish what he failed to do: inspire his sales…
