Innovation through Inspiration : Why Immersing Yourself in Different Domains is Key to Creativity and Success
Innovation through Inspiration : Why Immersing Yourself in Different Domains is Key to Creativity and Success
Generating creative ideas through cross domain learning
Do you ever feel like you're stuck in your field and finding it hard to come up with fresh ideas and solutions? Are you not sure how to broaden your thinking and improve your problem-solving abilities? Many people struggle with thinking in the same way, which can hinder their progress and achievements.
In this article, I will explain how exploring various areas can unleash your creative abilities. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a professional, or simply someone looking for a new outlook, this article can give you a helping hand.
From Stuck to Success: How Seeking Inspiration from another industry led to the Creation of the Drive-In Restaurant
A fast food restaurant owner worked hard to improve every aspect of his business, including the menu, interior design, and customer service. He wanted to take his restaurant to the next level but couldn't come up with any new ideas. He felt stuck. Then, he decided to get inspiration from other industries.
One day, while visiting a bank, he saw some construction work happening outside. He got curious and asked what was going on. The bank staff told him they were building a drive-thru counter so that customers could do their business without leaving their cars.
As he listened, an idea struck him. He realized that this could be the solution he was looking for. He made his restaurant the first drive-in restaurant and eventually sold it to McDonald's.
How did Steve Jobs harness the power of different domains to revolutionize Apple?
To truly understand the success of Apple and its famous founder, Steve Jobs, we need to realize the importance of learning from different fields.
It wasn't just Jobs' technical skills that made Apple great, but also his ability to find inspiration from the arts.
Steve Jobs strongly believed in the connection between technology and liberal arts. This belief was so important to him that he often ended his product launches with a slide showing street signs at the intersection of Liberal Arts and Technology.
During his last presentation for the iPad 2 in 2011, Jobs stood in front of this image and said,
"It's in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough – it's technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the result that makes our heart sing."
Thinking Outside the Box: The Surprising Connection Between Unrelated Industries and Entrepreneurial Success
Jeff Hoffman1, a successful entrepreneur who played a role in startups like priceline.com and booking.com, stresses the importance of continuous learning.
He practices what he calls info-sponging, which means intentionally exploring topics that are outside of his own industry.
Hoffman recommends dedicating 10 or 15 minutes each week, or even daily, to immerse oneself in subjects that spark curiosity. The goal is simple: learn something completely unrelated to your field and write down one sentence about it.
For instance, Hoffman read an article about selling distressed inventory and noted the sentence, "Distressed inventory requires a protected pricing channel." On another occasion, he learned about selling bananas and realized that they are sold at lower prices when they are close to expiring.
This observation sparked the idea that if there are empty seats on flights before the day of departure, it's better to sell them at reduced prices rather than flying with empty seats.
This idea eventually led to the creation of the successful company priceline.com.
He took inspiration from perishable bananas and put it into action, ultimately becoming a billionaire.
Note-Taking Strategies for Creative Idea Generation
Just like Info-sponging, there are other ways to come up with new ideas by learning from different domains.
Slip-box note taking method
One notable system is the Zettelkasten note-taking system2 created by Niklas Luhmann, a well-known social scientist from the 20th century. Luhmann's unique approach helped him become highly productive and innovative in his field.
Separate Categories:
In the Zettelkasten system, notes are organized into three categories: fleeting notes, permanent notes, and project notes. Fleeting notes have temporary information, while permanent notes capture long-term ideas. Project notes are specific to ongoing projects. By categorizing his thoughts like this, Luhmann could easily find relevant information for different purposes.
Serendipity:
Luhmann's slip-box system had a major advantage: it helped him make unexpected discoveries. He believed that it was important to connect his notes and link related ideas. By combining notes from different areas, he was able to come up with new thoughts. This process helped him be more creative because he discovered new connections and associations that he may not have thought of before. Serendipity played a big part in generating new ideas and fueling Luhmann's innovative thinking.
Ryan's holiday's note-taking system
Ryan Holiday is an American author and entrepreneur who became well-known for his books on Stoic philosophy. He has also developed a unique note-taking method3 inspired by Niklas Luhmann's Zettelkasten system.
In this note-taking method, Ryan Holiday uses index cards to record important information and thoughts. Here are the steps to follow:
Get high-quality index cards, preferably A5 size, for writing your notes.
When reading a book, underline important passages and write notes in the margins. Use post-it notes to mark these sections for easy reference later.
After finishing the book and letting it sit for a few weeks, transfer your underlines and thoughts onto the index cards. Write down a quote, note, or idea that captures the essence of each marked section.
Categorize each card by writing a theme or category in the top right corner. Create your own categories like "Learning," "Validation," "Organizations," and "Me."
Keep your organized index cards stored and review them whenever you need inspiration or advice. You can use them to outline writing projects or prepare presentations as needed.
By immersing yourself in different domains through this note-taking method, you can expand your thinking and increase your chances of success in various areas of life.
A second brain system
Tiego Forte introduced a note-taking system known as the second brain, also called a personal knowledge management system (PKM). This system offers an organized way to capture, organize, and retrieve information and knowledge that we come across in our daily lives.
A second brain consists of three main components: a way to capture information, a system to organize it, and tools for workflow automation.
I use the following tools for my second brain:
Readwise: a powerful tool that helps me gather and organize valuable information from various sources such as websites, articles, books, podcasts, and videos.
Snipd: allows me to listen to podcasts and create AI-generated smart notes.
Obsidian: an excellent note-taking system that simplifies note organization through backlinks and visualizations.
To automate my workflow, I seamlessly integrate tools like Readwise, Snipd, and Obsidian. If you want to learn more about how I set up my second brain, check out the detailed explanation in this article.
Summary
Learning from different domains helps us broaden our perspectives and think beyond usual limits. By immersing ourselves in diverse areas, we gain new insights and unique ways of approaching problems. The success stories of entrepreneurs and innovators who have used this approach prove that it works.
I encourage you to set aside time each week, or even every day, to explore subjects that spark your curiosity. Write a sentence about what you learn, find connections between seemingly unrelated ideas, and embrace unexpected discoveries.
By doing this, you will expand your thinking, boost your creativity, and unlock your potential for generating ideas. Remember, innovation often happens when different fields intersect.
You never know what groundbreaking ideas may be waiting for you.