Innovation – do you think of inventions and new technologies? Or coming up with a better way of doing things and progressive thinking? When we think of someone who might be described as ‘innovative’, they’ve usually broken the mould, disrupted their respective industry or have magically developed that ‘big idea’. Perhaps you picture Steve Jobs when he revolutionised the way we use phones or Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, when they conjured up the concept of Uber.

We’re curious creatures, aren’t we? Along with Jobs and his entrepreneurial friends, the human race has been pretty busy when it comes to innovative thinking. Over the course of history, we’ve worked out how to make fire, invented the wheel, discovered electricity, embraced the television, designed trains, planes and cars and have sent more than 560 people into space. And, right now, we’re genuinely considering the possibilities of moving ourselves to Mars.    

But what does it take to be innovative? Do you need special qualities or a particular perspective on life? Or, do we all have the capacity to think innovatively?

Your brain wants to keep you on the straight and narrow

If you’re one of those people that wouldn’t put yourself in the ‘innovative’ camp, then you’re not alone. You might describe yourself as ‘quiet’ or ‘cautious’, you appreciate routine in your life and might not be the biggest fan of change. Guess what? There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, naturally, your brain doesn’t want you to be innovative, risky or adventurous in the slightest. The only objective? To keep you alive. Janet Crawford, explains that we’re built to resist change – “in order to conserve the status quo, the brain generates feelings of discomfort when we try new things or attempt to change”. As a result, repeating the same actions over and over again and perpetuating similar behaviours is the safest way for your brain to operate. Changing things or approaching tasks differently (which we know can be good for us) triggers your brain to consider anything new ‘risky behaviour’.

So, how do I unlock the capacity to be innovative?

In 2017, Victor Poirier, a professor at the Institute of Advanced Discovery & Innovation at the University of South Florida, released a paper that explored the thought process behind innovation and what we need to be doing to get there. His paper argues that we need to go through a series of steps in order to reach the point of innovation – and that yes, some people due to their characteristics are more likely to be innovative. Some of these traits, which Poirier lists, include:

• abstract thinking
• having deep and broad knowledge
• embracing curiosity
• a willingness and openness to risk
• determination, and
• dissatisfaction with the status quo.

So what should we be doing to awaken our innovative thinking? According to Dr. Poirier, it’s about finding inspiration, embracing creativity, keeping motivated and being entrepreneurial in thought.

Cultivate your curiosity

If you want to find out the answer to a burning question, then do so. Innovators are more likely to research, read and investigate, are highly curious and aren’t afraid of asking ‘why?’ Think of it this way, any new invention wouldn’t have come about without the inventor taking a risk. Did you know that whitening toothpaste was only developed after we realised how laundry detergent whitens clothes? And, being curious strengthens your brain. As Silvia Damiano from the About my Brain Institute explains, “being curious triggers dopamine production in the limbic parts of the brain, which is where it handles emotions and memories. Dopamine is a reward neurotransmitter that helps the brain make new discoveries and solve problems, and it can help us be curious without worrying about the unknown.”

Let your mind make magic

According to Silvia, we need to “embrace silliness” and encourage inspiration, imagination and creativity. In the modern workplace, there isn’t a whole lot of time to inject elements of fun in between meetings, conference calls and deadlines. However, British psychologist, Professor Sir Cary Cooper thinks we should be. His recent study with BrightHR concluded that introducing fun into the workplace can reduce absent days, increase productivity and reduce levels of stress. And guess who’s doing it well? Innovating giant, Google. The company encourages employees to play ping-pong and ten-pin bowling. And yes, you’re going to get major office envy – its Zurich head office has a massage room, an aquarium, and a slide that employees can use to travel to their fully-stocked canteen.

It’s also important to step away from the mundane and let your mind wander. There’s evidence to suggest that embracing a child-like imagination brings a multitude of mental benefits and that we as adults are forced too much to turn to logic and reason. Dr Stephanie Carlson, an expert on childhood brain development suggests, “next time you’re facing a challenge or an issue that you need to solve, let go of some of your self-control, and re-ignite your child-like imagination. Pretend a spoon is a car, or pretend that you are Mickey Mouse or Ronald Reagan. Now look at your problem again, and you’ll find more creative possibilities”.

You are a product of your own environment

It’s no surprise that your upbringing and childhood can have an impact on how you’re shaped as an adult. As Dr Poirier explains in his paper, “it depends a lot on your background and where you grow up and what you’re exposed to. If your parents are very intelligent, you will probably have more traits, and utilise those traits”. Therefore it’s important to surround yourself with likeminded people – do they share similar goals and values to you? By spending time with others who also possess high levels of innovative traits and use them consistently, you’re likely to do the same. And, to breed innovation? Phil McKinney encourages people to find specific environments like summits, conferences or TED talks to meet and connect with fellow innovators. It’s at these places you can expand your mind, bounce ideas off each other and broaden networks.

There’s a little bit of innovation in all of us

So, do all humans have the potential to be innovators? Absolutely. There’s some of us out there that are natural innovators – but we can also train ourselves to nurture certain characteristics within ourselves and consciously change our behaviour. According to Deep Patel, it’s highly innovative people who embrace habits that heighten their creativity, imagination and curiosity. It’s these people who follow their passions, are acutely aware of their surroundings and are comfortable enough to step into the unknown.