7 Tips
To Become More Creative And See Opportunities
To Become More Creative And See Opportunities
Have
you ever been in a country and had trouble finding a taxi? This happened to me
many times in America, where I was stuck for hours miles from my hotel., And in
the Philippines where it was not only hard to find a cab but when you found one
they always tried to rip you off.
you ever been in a country and had trouble finding a taxi? This happened to me
many times in America, where I was stuck for hours miles from my hotel., And in
the Philippines where it was not only hard to find a cab but when you found one
they always tried to rip you off.
I
had a story recently that the founders of Uber was in a similar situation while
attending a conference in Paris a few years ago but decided to do something
about it. They of course went on to found a company which now provides millions
of people with a good transparent service, which we can use from our phone and
pay for without cash.
had a story recently that the founders of Uber was in a similar situation while
attending a conference in Paris a few years ago but decided to do something
about it. They of course went on to found a company which now provides millions
of people with a good transparent service, which we can use from our phone and
pay for without cash.
According to Investopedia.com, Uber’s story began in Paris
in 2008. Two friends, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, were attending the
LeWeb, an annual tech conference the Economist describes as “where
revolutionaries gather to plot the future".
in 2008. Two friends, Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp, were attending the
LeWeb, an annual tech conference the Economist describes as “where
revolutionaries gather to plot the future".
In 2007, both men had sold start-ups they co-founded for
large sums. Kalanick sold Red Swoosh to Akamai Technologies for $19 million
while Camp sold StumbleUpon to eBay for $75 million.
large sums. Kalanick sold Red Swoosh to Akamai Technologies for $19 million
while Camp sold StumbleUpon to eBay for $75 million.
Rumor has it that the concept for Uber was born
one winter night during the conference when the pair was unable to get a cab.
Initially, the idea was for a timeshare limo service that could be ordered via
an app. After the conference, the entrepreneurs went their separate ways, but
when Camp returned to San Francisco, he continued to be fixated on the idea and
bought the domain name UberCab.com.
one winter night during the conference when the pair was unable to get a cab.
Initially, the idea was for a timeshare limo service that could be ordered via
an app. After the conference, the entrepreneurs went their separate ways, but
when Camp returned to San Francisco, he continued to be fixated on the idea and
bought the domain name UberCab.com.
In 2009, Camp was still CEO of StumbleUpon, but he
began working on a prototype for UberCab as a side project. By summer of that
year, Camp had persuaded Kalanick to join as UberCab’s ‘Chief Incubator’. The
service was tested in New York in early 2010 using only three cars, and the
official launch took place in San Francisco in May.
began working on a prototype for UberCab as a side project. By summer of that
year, Camp had persuaded Kalanick to join as UberCab’s ‘Chief Incubator’. The
service was tested in New York in early 2010 using only three cars, and the
official launch took place in San Francisco in May.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Uber’s disruptive technology, explosive growth, and constant
controversy make it one of the most fascinating companies to emerge over
the past decade. The almost ten-year-old company soon grew to become the
highest valued private startup company in the world. But with its rapid
growth came many controversies that knocked down its valuation from a lofty $70
billion to $48 billion in its last funding round in Jan. 2018. On May 23, 2018,
the company announced a new tender offer that would bump the company's
value to $62 billion. Source: Investopedia.com
controversy make it one of the most fascinating companies to emerge over
the past decade. The almost ten-year-old company soon grew to become the
highest valued private startup company in the world. But with its rapid
growth came many controversies that knocked down its valuation from a lofty $70
billion to $48 billion in its last funding round in Jan. 2018. On May 23, 2018,
the company announced a new tender offer that would bump the company's
value to $62 billion. Source: Investopedia.com
On
my recent holiday I was able to use Uber and similar apps. The cars are clean,
the vast majority of the drivers are polite and I no longer get ripped off when
arriving at an airport.
my recent holiday I was able to use Uber and similar apps. The cars are clean,
the vast majority of the drivers are polite and I no longer get ripped off when
arriving at an airport.
Do
you ever find yourself complaining about a service or situation?
you ever find yourself complaining about a service or situation?
Dr Joe
vitality said that whenever you see a lot of people complaining about something
there is always an opportunity there.
vitality said that whenever you see a lot of people complaining about something
there is always an opportunity there.
I
used to complain about not been able to find a taxi or getting ripped off, but
I never saw the opportunity to do anything about it.
used to complain about not been able to find a taxi or getting ripped off, but
I never saw the opportunity to do anything about it.
You
may have seen the recent movie, The Greatest Showman, which was about BT
Barnum. Barnum was not only a great showman, but it was someone that sort
opportunities where other people only saw problems. In other words, he was a
visionary.
may have seen the recent movie, The Greatest Showman, which was about BT
Barnum. Barnum was not only a great showman, but it was someone that sort
opportunities where other people only saw problems. In other words, he was a
visionary.
Thousands
of products and businesses have been started by people who wanted to solve a
problem. I’m sure you have had ideas for products or services, but perhaps you
were not able to follow them through. Sometimes our mind or that voice in our
head tells us things like:
of products and businesses have been started by people who wanted to solve a
problem. I’m sure you have had ideas for products or services, but perhaps you
were not able to follow them through. Sometimes our mind or that voice in our
head tells us things like:
“That
will never work”
will never work”
“
someone else is probably doing it already”
someone else is probably doing it already”
Or,
“ it’s too difficult and you can’t do that”
“ it’s too difficult and you can’t do that”
Before
you know it, you’ve talked yourself out of it and a few years later you find
that someone else has “stolen” your idea!
you know it, you’ve talked yourself out of it and a few years later you find
that someone else has “stolen” your idea!
By
opening your mind to the opportunities around you, you too can become a
visionary. You don’t have to form an Uber or a Google or Facebook. Remember
that all of these companies were formed to solve a problem. In the case of
Facebook the founders wanted to meet girls on campus. Do you remember what it
was like using search engines before Google?
opening your mind to the opportunities around you, you too can become a
visionary. You don’t have to form an Uber or a Google or Facebook. Remember
that all of these companies were formed to solve a problem. In the case of
Facebook the founders wanted to meet girls on campus. Do you remember what it
was like using search engines before Google?
7 techniques
to help you become more creative and see opportunities:
to help you become more creative and see opportunities:
1.
Open
your mind and realise that problems are opportunities. There’s an old saying
that where there’s muck there’s brass meaning that where there’s dirt or messy
problems, there is money and opportunity.
Open
your mind and realise that problems are opportunities. There’s an old saying
that where there’s muck there’s brass meaning that where there’s dirt or messy
problems, there is money and opportunity.
2.
Clear
the clutter and noise from your mind. Sometimes we literally can’t see the wood
from the trees because our minds are cluttered with so many things that we
can’t see things that are right in front of us.
Clear
the clutter and noise from your mind. Sometimes we literally can’t see the wood
from the trees because our minds are cluttered with so many things that we
can’t see things that are right in front of us.
Techniques to clear your mind include meditation and just
being quiet with yourself. Meditation doesn’t need to be complex, but you will
improve with practice.
being quiet with yourself. Meditation doesn’t need to be complex, but you will
improve with practice.
Dry just sitting and breathing into your belly for a few
minutes. Just take deep breath right down into your belly and watch your
stomach move up and down
minutes. Just take deep breath right down into your belly and watch your
stomach move up and down
just concentrate on the breathing and let other thoughts
come and go. See if you can do that for two minutes. Then extend it for longer.
You don’t have to think of anything or listen to meditation musical tapes.
come and go. See if you can do that for two minutes. Then extend it for longer.
You don’t have to think of anything or listen to meditation musical tapes.
3.
Sit
still for 30 minutes.
Sit
still for 30 minutes.
I learned this from the great Brian Tracy. His technique
involves going into a quiet room and sitting for 30 minutes with no music no
phones, no coffee or food just you in a chair in a quiet room. You don’t need
to think of anything but you need to be quiet and just alone with yourself.
involves going into a quiet room and sitting for 30 minutes with no music no
phones, no coffee or food just you in a chair in a quiet room. You don’t need
to think of anything but you need to be quiet and just alone with yourself.
Nowadays we are hardly alone with ourselves for any length
of time because we have so many distractions, especially our smart phones which
are buzzing and pinging every minute. Try this technique and you’ll be amazed
at how many ideas just pop into your head when you least expect it. You will
also feel relaxed, refreshed and calmer.
of time because we have so many distractions, especially our smart phones which
are buzzing and pinging every minute. Try this technique and you’ll be amazed
at how many ideas just pop into your head when you least expect it. You will
also feel relaxed, refreshed and calmer.
4.
Go
for a walk.
Go
for a walk.
This
is especially effective if you can walk around nature in a field or a park.
Just walk and admire nature, the Sun or the sky. Health practitioner suggests
that we should walk for at least 30 minutes a day so you can combine the
techniques and kill two birds with one stone!
is especially effective if you can walk around nature in a field or a park.
Just walk and admire nature, the Sun or the sky. Health practitioner suggests
that we should walk for at least 30 minutes a day so you can combine the
techniques and kill two birds with one stone!
5.
Keep
a notebook or a journal and write down every idea you think about during the
day.
Keep
a notebook or a journal and write down every idea you think about during the
day.
You
might be surprised at how many ideas you’re already generating right now. When
doing your own “brainstorming”, remember that you’re not judging the idea at
this moment. Just write them down and return to them later. Serial
entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Simon Woodroffe (who founded Yo! Sushi) carry
notebooks and journals with them and make notes all the time. You can also make
notes on your phone or laptop, but there’s something about physically writing
an idea down that activates your brain. The late Jim Rohn used to be big on
giving journals. He kept journals all of his life. I remember him saying to me,
don’t trust your memory.
might be surprised at how many ideas you’re already generating right now. When
doing your own “brainstorming”, remember that you’re not judging the idea at
this moment. Just write them down and return to them later. Serial
entrepreneurs like Richard Branson and Simon Woodroffe (who founded Yo! Sushi) carry
notebooks and journals with them and make notes all the time. You can also make
notes on your phone or laptop, but there’s something about physically writing
an idea down that activates your brain. The late Jim Rohn used to be big on
giving journals. He kept journals all of his life. I remember him saying to me,
don’t trust your memory.
6.
Act
on your ideas immediately.
Act
on your ideas immediately.
It
has long been known that acting on an idea immediately gives it far more chance
of going from gestation to birth. Acting on your idea could mean something as
simple as writing it down or putting in your diary to follow up later. Nowadays
we can research things immediately on Google, so we have no excuse!
has long been known that acting on an idea immediately gives it far more chance
of going from gestation to birth. Acting on your idea could mean something as
simple as writing it down or putting in your diary to follow up later. Nowadays
we can research things immediately on Google, so we have no excuse!
7.
Finally,
never underestimate the power of your own mind.
Finally,
never underestimate the power of your own mind.
You
don’t have to be a genius to be wealthy or successful you just have to be
focused.
don’t have to be a genius to be wealthy or successful you just have to be
focused.
I remember working in commission only salesforce in the
1980s where the top salesman, a guy called Doug, was earning 20 times the
income of the bottom 20% - around £100,000 per annum, which was a lot of money
back then. He didn’t seem to work any harder than anybody else. Doug was in his
50’s and put in a full day but never really looked stressed. However, he did
not hang around at the coffee machine gossiping or chatting about the recession
we were going through – he decided not to join it! He did have a PA, which
separated him from the rest, but other than that he was a fairly ordinary guy.
He came out on an appointment with me once and I thought I was going to say
this really super salesman. Surprisingly, he was quiet, unassuming, normal and
did more listening than talking.
1980s where the top salesman, a guy called Doug, was earning 20 times the
income of the bottom 20% - around £100,000 per annum, which was a lot of money
back then. He didn’t seem to work any harder than anybody else. Doug was in his
50’s and put in a full day but never really looked stressed. However, he did
not hang around at the coffee machine gossiping or chatting about the recession
we were going through – he decided not to join it! He did have a PA, which
separated him from the rest, but other than that he was a fairly ordinary guy.
He came out on an appointment with me once and I thought I was going to say
this really super salesman. Surprisingly, he was quiet, unassuming, normal and
did more listening than talking.
The manager of our branch got him to give a talk on how he
was so successful and earned so much commission when others were struggling.
was so successful and earned so much commission when others were struggling.
When I heard he was given a talk I was really excited and
thought I was really going to get some big secret and new ideas. When he gave
the talk, I was a little disappointed as he didn’t really say very much that I
didn’t already know.
thought I was really going to get some big secret and new ideas. When he gave
the talk, I was a little disappointed as he didn’t really say very much that I
didn’t already know.
However, there are two things that stuck out in my mind from
his talk all those years ago. Firstly, he was a relentless prospector and
marketer and was always sending out letters or making calls.
his talk all those years ago. Firstly, he was a relentless prospector and
marketer and was always sending out letters or making calls.
Secondly, when asked by my audience member what his secret
to success was, he just pointed his finger to his head and said, “it’s all up
there, in your mind”.
to success was, he just pointed his finger to his head and said, “it’s all up
there, in your mind”.
You only need one good idea, followed through with action
and persistence to turn your fortunes around. There are thousands of stories of
men and women of all ages from 10 year old YouTube millionaire kids to Colonel
Sanders, who started KFC when he was 65 years old and unable to live on his
pension – he approached thousands of companies before his idea took off.
and persistence to turn your fortunes around. There are thousands of stories of
men and women of all ages from 10 year old YouTube millionaire kids to Colonel
Sanders, who started KFC when he was 65 years old and unable to live on his
pension – he approached thousands of companies before his idea took off.
https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/money-tips-podcast/id1442532994?mt=2
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