Innovation, how often do you do it in your life? In his great book Living Your Passion, Keith Abraham lists 35 ways to equip yourself for your future. He starts them with the following chapter – A great author John Maxwell has an acronym for the word EQUIP: Encouraging Qualities Underdeveloped In People. The following ideas are suggestions, solutions and recommendations that will assist you in equipping yourself for your future. Select the ideas that are most appropriate for you right now.

So number one and number thirteen appeal to me:

Number 1 is Complete a personal review of yourself every six months answering four questions called the W.I.S.H. analysis – What do you do well, what do you need to improve, what strategies do you need to develop, and how long before these strategies will be developed.

Number 13 is List down 100 things you want to achieve in your lifetime, this will be the most insightful activity you will ever do for your personal development.

Some famous people have commented on innovation, let’s have a look at what they said:

1. The dude who gave us the Mac, the iPhone and the Ipad, Steve Jobs changed how the world exists. I have spent 70 percent of my life without these things and 33 percent in a world without computers, amazing!!

2. Thomas Edison‘s teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was fired from his first two jobs for being “non-productive.” As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps: A Better Place.

3. Have you ever failed, If not, why not?

4. Thinking without follow up actions doesn’t change much: Look what you made me Do.

5. Self explanatory really.

6. Back to our childhood for this one, there is not just the past, present and future if you are willing to imagine: Oh the things you can Think.

7. You have to think of whisky to know who T. Dewar is. He and his brother turned their small family business into an international success, he visited 26 countries in 2 years to achieve this, leaving his brother to do the grunt work.

8. One of the world’s most famous quotes from the curly headed one, most people nod their heads in agreement when they read it: Tell me something I don’t Know.

9. They don’t write biographies about followers!!

10. And from the latest champion of innovation, another timely comment on failure and what it costs you: Broken Barricades.

11. Scurvy was among many diseases suffered due to malnutrition. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that Albert Szent-Györgyi discovered the chemical ascorbic acid—also known as vitamin C—that enables the body to efficiently use carbohydrates, fats, and protein.

12. It’s called science fiction until they do: In case you didn’t Know.

13, Scott Adams is one of the world’s prominent cartoonists. His Dilbert series came to national prominence through the downsizing period in 1990s America and was then distributed worldwide. Adams worked in various roles at big businesses before he became a full-time cartoonist in 1995. He writes in a satirical, often sarcastic, way about the social and mental landscape of white-collar workers in modern business corporations.

14. Not everybody will agree with you at the beginning, you need to go through the above for your innovations to stick: Human.

15. Three from Steve, probably not so many from one person since my Oprah addiction. Remember it’s OK to say no.

To remember the value of one year: Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realise the value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realise the value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realise the value of one hour: Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realise the value of one minute: Ask the person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realise the value of one second: Ask a person who has survived an accident.

To realise the value of one millisecond: Ask the person who has won the silver medal in the Olympics.

A mixed music bag this time around, Musicals, diva pop, 60’s classics and country – Playing for Change, Taylor Swift, Suessical cast, Selena Gomez, Procol Harum, Brett Young and Christina Perri.

Namaste until next time, my dear friends.