10 Keys to Innovation 1.28.12
The notes below are mine, but not mine.
I recently went to an hour long creative talk by Scott Eric Olivier. Scott is a recording engineer who has worked with some serious big dogs in the music industry.
He spoke about innovation. Not just being innovative, but staying that way. Regardless of your calling or your career, everyone can learn from these 10 quick points.
Here are my notes from what Scott brought to us... I am giving them to you as I took them so the grammar isn’t spot-on and I never use ‘caps’ when taking notes because it slows my roll...
_____________________________________________________________________________
It's okay to make mistakes. Step one is understanding that it’s okay to make mistakes. Making mistakes is the only way you’ll make actual progress.
VISION - when you have a vision, be honest to that vision. you WILL make mistakes, and that's okay.
COURAGE (to pursue) - look for side doors... the front door may not be the best way to pursue the vision through the courage you have in your heart... don't over edit yourself - you can't create and edit at the same time. editing and creating are two different processes.
SKILL - be honest about your skill set and farm out the rest. you’re not the master at everything and that’s okay.
OBJECTIVITY - objectivity stinks... your friends don't love you enough to truly be objective, YOU have to be objective yourself... your family will always be kind to you, YOU have to be objective... i tell myself all the time, if I don't care enough to continue to get better, no one will care - i have to care enough to be objective.
RESOURCES - location, studio, gear, money... what are your resources now, but what are your resources when you get to the next level... it's like playing pool, this shot HAS to set you up for the next shot.
MORE COURAGE - getting started is hard, but once you get traction, it gets even harder... it takes more courage to remain who you began as...
MORE OBJECTIVITY - when you get to the second level, keep first level people around you to keep you grounded and to keep you in touch with reality... as you climb, the less honesty you have access to... everything you do is part of everything you do - you can't REALLY compartmentalize anything, everything you do or create or speak or do is somehow tied to the totality of who you are... you have to find ways to find ways to convince people what you do is worth something.
RESULTS - at the end of the day you simply MUST produce some kind of results. that’s a very long convo that i really can’t get started on today.
SUCCESS - did you meet your goal? not did you make millions, did you meet your goal; are you smiling; did you wind up where you intended to go? don't ever get away from who you are. your ability to clearly verbalize 'success' is flipping paramount! if you can't see it and say it, you can't get there.
EXIT - get out of your own way. what's the exit strategy? will you work for 5 years and bow out, or will you die there? either is okay, just operate according that exit (vision/strategy). #10 goes back to #1, you must see where you going or you will never get there.
BONUS - there's not a point where you have 'made it' - you 'make it' every single day!
additional info from Q & A
always remember that creating and editing are completely different hats to wear... huge, huge point.
create, then edit. and then... create some more, then edit some more. but never at the same time.
people who know where they are going are so much more pleasant to be around and work with...
there are no “guitar” days and then “spreadsheet” days... for me it's all interconnected... it's all one, i am all one, i’m me.
and never forget - the goal never changes. sometimes the path to the goal changes, but the goal must never change...