Our minds are filled with mental silos. And while sticking to a particular belief can give you a sense of belonging and comfort, it’s not going to help you innovate.
You might think a vast majority of us don’t need – or don’t wish – to create. I don’t deny it, but the more creatives and innovators we can have, the more vibrant, engaging, and fulfilling our lives will be!
So how can product leaders and entrepreneurs be more innovative and generate impactful ideas?
By elevating their thinking and getting out of their mental valleys!
Fortunately, there are numerous tools to help us do it right, and there’s hardly any wrong choice as long as you do the following:
BUILD THE RIGHT PROBLEM HYPOTHESIS
- What’s the problem that needs to be solved, and who has it?
- How much evidence do you have of how pervasive, frequent and severe it is?
- How urgent is it to solve the problem?
DEEPLY UNDERSTAND THE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
- How is the problem addressed today?
- Where are current solutions falling short?
- What will make yours stand out and be better?
Remember, the spectrum of solutions to a problem can be vast. An illustration of it is what Reed Hastings, founder, and CEO of Netflix, once said.
“Our biggest competitor is not another streaming service, not even video games. It is sleep!”
These are tough questions to answer. They require a lot of digging, observation, and conversations.
But, it will help you elevate your thinking and see the oasis that’s on the other side of your mental valley.
You’ll become a more robust innovator.