Back in the States
The trip was good, relaxing, and I hardly thought of events back home. I went back to work today with a fresh perspective and readiness I haven’t had in a while.
I read two books and got about halfway through on a third. One of the books I read was The Myths of Innovation, by Scott Berkun, who is also the author of my favorite project management book, The Art of Project Management.
In The Myths of Innovation, Berkun looks at the history of innovation, including the software world (he worked on Internet Explorer in the 1990’s), to reveal how ideas truly become successful innovations. It was a great read, and I especially appreciated Berkun’s framing of innovation in the context of the history of the world and all the great minds and companies that have been considered innovators.
I’m sure in the future I’ll have more to say about this book, and I plan on reading it again at some point so I can take notes. One paragraph in particular stood out to me, though, so I thought I’d share:
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 means 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.
Filed under: Books, Innovation
