A while back I was watching an interview Tom Bilyeu did with Dean Kamen for an episode of Impact Theory. The interview was done at an event they were both speaking at and not in the Impact Theory studio where most of the interviews are done. Bilyeu asked Dean Kamen about an Albert Einstein quote Kamen referenced regarding imagination being more important than knowledge. Kamen corrected Bilyeu and said what Einstein actually said was, “knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”
Kamen then went on to say, ”Imagination is more critical now. Knowledge is a commodity. Knowledge is virtually free and accessible instantly. Imagination is what allows us to do the next great thing. Imagination allows us to say, “Ok I have all this knowledge, that is what we have today. How do I make a better tomorrow?” What do you add to knowledge to create the future. You have to innovate. What is innovation? Innovation is taking all the same facts that everyone else has, looking at all the same problems as everybody else is looking at, but see them differently and say Ah-Hah, this is what we can do to fix this problem. That’s imagination.”
In his August 13 blog post titled Innovation is guts plus generosity Seth Godin wrote:
Guts, because it might not work.
And generosity, because guts without seeking to make things better is merely hustle.
Later on in that August 13 post Godin wrote:
If failure is not an option, then, most of the time, neither is success.
It’s pretty common for someone to claim that they’re innovative when actually, all they are is popular, profitable or successful.
Nothing wrong with that. But it’s not innovative.
So, what are you doing to innovate your training? Everyone has the same knowledge and the same problems. Do you have the generosity to ask, “How do I make a better tomorrow for the heroic men and women I have the privilege and honor to train?”
Do you have the guts to look at the problems, see them differently then seek to innovate knowing that it might not work? When it does not work are you willing to stand up, own up and take the blame? And, when it does work, are you willing to give away the credit?
Last week I wrote about Cal Newport’s three traits that define Great Work: Creativity, Impact and Control. It takes guts and generosity to be a great trainer. When you strive to continually develop both and commit to making a better tomorrow you can do Great Work.
Take care.
Brian Willis
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