I’ve been reading a really good book about innovation titled “The Myths of Innovation” by Scott Berkun. Not surprisingly, it seems like the myths of innovation are almost exactly the same as the myths of entrepreneurship. If you read the following excerpt and insert the word “entrepreneurs” in place of “innovators” you’ll see what I mean.
The top question famed innovators hear is, “How did you start?” It’s the beginnings that drive our curiosity: when did Edison get the idea for the lightbulb, or how did the Google founders envision a better a better search engine? Everyone wants to know where the magic happened, and since they can’t imagine the magic sprinkled across years of work, they assume it’s a secret – a tangible, singular element hiding behind the start. Like our endless quest to explain the origins of things, we’re prone to seeking magic in beginnings.
Most of the fabled stories of entrepreneurship are told as if the “business idea” came in a flash of light, and then, just as suddenly, a business was born. Here’s another good excerpt (among many) from the book:
The best advice I’ve read on starting creative work comes from John Cage, the most innovative composer of the 20th century, who said, “It doesn’t matter where you start, as long as you start.” He meant that there can be no perfect beginning: it’s only after you start – no matter how roughly – that you can evaluate and build on what you’ve done, shift directions, or start over with the insight and perspective you’ve gained in the process. Innovation is best compared to exploration, and like Magellan or Captain Cook, you can’t find something new if you limit your travels to places others have already found.
That’s why experienced entrepreneurs and investors, like David Cohen, place little value on ideas and lots of value on execution.
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