Innovation = changing things

When I was younger and went with my parents to all family get togethers all the grown ups would sit at a table and talk/rant about politics (you get the picture!). My mom would ask me why I didn’t go and sit with my dad so that I could learn something, to which my response was:

 

Because all they do is talk about the same things over and over again and never do anything about it.

 

And so then and there my parents figured out I wasn’t into talking, I actually wanted to change things and wasn’t afraid to do it myself. But living in Mexico brings all sorts of challenges, the copycat mindset is present everywhere and one who tries to create progress is immediately pulled back or even worse killed.

Contrary to what others believe I think Mexico is ripe for innovation and it presents all the challenges that us change makers get worked up for.

On my quest to make change a few years ago, (more on this on a later post) but came away excited because I accomplished most of what I set out to do that was under my control but consider it a failure because I wasn’t able to complete the mission (out of my control).

I learned some things about myself, the system and people. Some where comical (like being told that I was made to be in politics) and some revealing (that I made everyone around me nervous) while others where obvious (that I had b***s) but more importantly I learned that people do want change, they just don’t how to deal with it when it’s served at their table.

 

And here then lies our challenge.

 

The point I want to make in this post is that and failure comes with the territory. Once you understand this, one key questions to ask yourself when creating a new product or service is: Will this change behavior? Is whatever you’re working on going to change anything? If it’s not going to have an impact on the people you serve or use your product then don’t do it because it’s just a ‘me too’.

 

If the answers is YES, then I guarantee you won’t get up from bed because the alarm clock sounded; but because you have something TO DO. You won’t want to go to sleep everyday because you’ll feel like a superhero out to save the world and make it your responsibility to do so.

 

Where are you on your quest for change?

 

P.S. This post was inspired by a conversation I had with family members who came to visit from the Mexico earlier this week. All I can say is the copycat mindset needs to be demolished!