Whether you consider yourself a perfectionist, a jack of all trades, or some combination of the two, life will inevitably throw you challenges that you can’t easily solve with your go-to skill sets.
Not only that, but when you become comfortable overcoming these obstacles with the same approach every time, you might close the door on the opportunity to innovate –– without even realizing it.
Innovation, in that sense, often feels like an uphill fight against gravity. Whether you’re reaching for a personal goal or developing as a professional, it’s natural to default to the systems and strategies that have proven to work for us in the past. Trying anything new requires a heavy mix of intentionality, creativity, and openness to change that can be difficult to pursue on your own.
But what if you didn’t have to take on the challenging process of innovation on your own? It’s likely that when you find yourself stumped with no answer in sight, you’ll have peers, loved ones, and professional colleagues that can offer a fresh perspective that challenges your underlying thought patterns and pushes you in completely new directions.
Innovation is a messy process. But those inevitable missteps and failures invite unexpected growth. Similarly, when you confide in the people around you and learn from their different backgrounds and perspectives, you might find that their many learnings in life can translate into growth for yourself.
Get an Outside Perspective
When you find yourself stuck, it’s never a bad idea to confide in a trusted peer. Whether it’s a novel challenge at work or a roadblock in your personal growth, an outsider’s perspective can lead you to solutions or different paths forward that you might have never thought of on your own. When you’re looking for someone else’s insight, try to find someone with a completely different background and areas of expertise!
Here’s an example of how you can structure a dialog with a peer so you can both get a fresh new perspective on a given project or problem:
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Take turns framing the challenge. What is your goal, and what are the roadblocks preventing you from reaching it? If they’re not used to your discipline, take the time to frame it in a way they’ll understand.
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Describe how you’ve attempted to solve the issue in the past. What about your approach didn’t work?
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Take some time to put yourself in the other’s shoes. With your unique background, skills, and lessons learned, what unique advice can you offer that they might not have thought of in the past?
Join Our R&D Team
Our company’s story began around our founder’s kitchen table when he asked himself a simple question, “Can overnight oats be even more convenient than the make-it-yourself version?” What emerged after many rounds of experimentation was our mold-breaking Overnight Oats Shake. This spirit of innovation infuses everything we do, especially our collaboration with customers who help us develop flavors. We’d love to have you on our team and fuel your personal innovation with a nutrient-dense breakfast, too.
If you need to restock your supply, check out some of our new flavors.
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