Tapping in to inspiration
“There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations” ~Mark Twain
I was delivering leadership training last month and some of the group said that seeing themselves as innovative was a stretch. That as soon as they are asked to come up with ideas they freeze, can’t think of any. And then how annoyed they are with themselves when someone voices their idea, they did have an idea but didn’t say it - assuming it wasn’t good enough, ambitious enough, new! We can often get paralysed in our own thoughts in that moment.
“This idea has already been thought of, it isn’t big enough, others will dismiss it”.
In truth you have dismissed it before anyone else has had the chance to hear it. And yes some people may dismiss your idea and many will not.
Most ideas have been done before, if you take one of your ideas and run with it, it will already make it different. It’s you doing it. And maybe along the way you’ll change it, or ditch it for something better, more suitable, crazier, more profitable. In truth we don’t know. Ideas start first with choosing to give it a go, to lead.
All of us are innovative, creative, inspirational, and we need to start telling ourselves that.
I was fortunate enough to spend a couple of days at Cove Park this week. Born out of an idea to provide a residency space for artists to create. It now welcomes artists from all over the world, artists in the broadest sense from painters, to writers, to weavers to film makers. All sparking ideas, borrowing from those that have gone before them, collaborating with others.
I’ve been thinking about how do I bring the spirit of somewhere like Cove Park into normal life - into the school run, the EasyJet flight to a meeting, the expenses pile - and simply it’s a choice. A choice to carve out space for ideas, for innovative thought, space to tap into an idea when I have it and see where it goes. We are all inspiring, we are all innovators, we all have ideas. So don’t doubt yourself, just start...
Sally Powell MA PCC is a Leadership Coach and Trainer, and co-founder of Art User. Sally is passionate about helping others to realise their full potential, and knows the power that amazing conversations can have on unlocking new perspectives and transforming lives.