Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

3 Steps You Can Take Now to Unlock Your Inner Innovator Ignore real-world limitations and you're a lot likelier to visualize the ideal solution.

By Charlie Harary Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

Some of the greatest innovators may eat, sleep and breathe in Silicon Valley, but you don't have to live there to be innovative. In fact, you don't even need to be an entrepreneur.

We all have the potential to drive innovation -- not just in business, but in every aspect of life. That's because innovation isn't in the clouds. It's in the details. We see it in the products and services we rely on in our daily lives.

So how do we become more innovative? You can learn how to unlock your inner innovator with these three steps.

1. Break down the elements.

Innovators rarely invent a new product. Most innovation comes when someone tweaks, enhances or changes a product that's already out there.

Steve Jobs didn't invent the phone, mp3 player or camera; he packaged them together. Uber didn't invent cabs; it modernized communication between riders and drivers.

Because innovation often hides in the changes we make to existing products and services, you need to break an item or process down to its core elements. Start examining the various components that make up the whole.

Take eyeglasses, for instance. They're comprised of frames and lenses. Remove the frames and voila -- you've got contacts. Switch out the lens for a darker piece of glass, and sunglasses appear. Get rid of the prescription and behold, fashion glasses. (You'd be surprised how many people wear frames just to get the look.)

The better you see a product or service for its fundamental parts, the better able you are to identify specific aspects that could be modified or improved.

Whenever you look at a product or service, ask yourself, "Where can I subtract, change or add something to one component that would make it better or serve a new purpose?" This approach will set you on a path toward innovation.

Related: 3 Ways to Innovate Like an Artist

2. Show a little empathy.

Boiled down to its essence, innovation is simply a new way to solve an existing problem. And you can't solve problems without cultivating empathy. Empathy enables you to share another's feelings and relate to the pain, struggle and conflict experienced by an individual or a group. When you appreciate someone's struggle, you're in a greater position to figure out a way to help.

Don't mistake sympathy for empathy. Sympathy is feeling sorry for people. Empathy is putting yourself in their shoes and walking a few miles.

Do you sympathize with your clients, boss or colleagues, or do you empathize with them? Sure, it's important to care about them, but do you stop to think bothers them? What keeps them up at night? Really challenge yourself to identify with their needs.

Related: To See Solutions, Look at Problems From Everyone's Perspective

3. Visualize the ideal solution.

To implement true change, you must visit the world of the ideal. The most creative ideas emerge when you have room to think freely.

Here's the problem with most visualization exercises: The moment we get an idea, we start dissecting how to make it work on a practical level. We get so constricted by "real-world" restrictions that we miss out on great opportunities for change. If you want to be an innovator, leave reality and all of its limitations at the door for a little while.

Albert Einstein learned the power of visualization at an early age. His school applied the teaching methods of Johann Pestalozzi, a Swiss educational reformer who believed visualization is one of the mind's most powerful features. Pestalozzi championed the idea that imagery is where all knowledge begins.

At 16, Einstein used visualization and thought experiments to discover the speed of light is always constant. Later in his life, he told a reporter for the The Saturday Evening Post: "I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world."

Sit down and visualize how your product would work in a perfect world. How would an ideal solution look? After you've conceptualized the ultimate vision, you can start exploring how much of the ideal you can make real.

Related: Want to Become More Disruptive With Your Startup? You Got 100 Days.

Innovation isn't reserved for a few MIT grads working in Silicon Valley. Every one of us can tap into a more innovative way of thinking and make new realities possible. What are you waiting for?

Charlie Harary

RXR Realty: Senior Director, Capital Markets

Mr. Charlie Harary, Esq. is the Senior Director of Capital Markets at RXR Realty, a multi-billion dollar Real Estate Company based in New York. He is a prolific speaker and radio host, known internationally for his insights on personal growth, entrepreneurship and social change. He also serves as a Clinical Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at the Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Starting a Business

She Started a Business With $300 After Getting Laid Off. It Made $300,000 in Year 1 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Company.

Bobbie Racette wanted to revamp the virtual assistance space — and provide job opportunities for underrepresented communities at the same time.

Business News

Can Anyone Beat Microsoft at AI? The CEO of Salesforce Thinks His Company Can.

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff calls Copilot "the new Microsoft Clippy."

Starting a Business

How to Find the Right Programmers: A Brief Guideline for Startup Founders

For startup founders under a plethora of challenges like timing, investors and changing market demand, it is extremely hard to hire programmers who can deliver.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Franchise

McDonald's Launched a Happy Meal for the 30th Anniversary of a Classic '90s Sitcom — But There's a Catch

The promotion is only available in one country, so fans elsewhere are turning to resale platforms like eBay to buy the collectible toys.

Business News

'Not Yet Fully Autonomous': Tesla's Optimus Robots Stole the Show — But Were They Actually Controlled By Humans?

Musk said the $20,000 to $30,000 robot could perform household tasks like mowing lawns and putting away groceries.