Innovation

Some thoughts on innovation from Albert Einstein

A few days ago, I read an article that contained 10 quotes from Albert Einstein related to the subject of creativity. (see “10 Einstein Quotes to Fire Up Your Creativity“)

Although all of the quotes are good at making you think about creativity and innovation and imagination, these are two of my favorites (especially related to my work):

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

Often, innovation and creativity are considered to be esoteric things reserved to those of a certain IQ. In reality, innovation is often more related to thinking about something differently.

In fact, it could be that when someone begins thinking simply and explaining simply, they can begin seeing something in a new light. Of course, one of my responsibilities in our company is also helping someone understand that she/he is a “fish” and is made to swim instead of climbing a tree.

What do you think? What is difficult about innovation? What is simple? Why do we often try to force people into roles/actions/thought processes that are not normal for them?

2 Comments on “Some thoughts on innovation from Albert Einstein

  1. systems. we love to systemize everything, and in the process, people. i think it might be motivated by the love of money, which is the root of all evil. back when clamshells were currency, the inate impulse to worship was harnessed, retrained to obey cultural & social metrics that inexorably draw our unique expressions of worship, conscience & will onto the great hampster wheel of progress. that continues today. I believe this is what the NT calls ‘the world’. We are commanded to not love it. But we do. Artificial Intelligence is one of the next logical progressions in our collective fist raised to God, which best describes our our corporate maxim “we will not have this man (Jesus) rule over us”
    And thats ‘Gods people’ Im talking mostly about.
    We are no different than His 1st crop of followers, the Jews.
    Not a very popular analysis among Christians in my circle. I wish we could have an enlarged dialogue about it

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