Innovation is about creating ground-breaking ideas and about the courage to act on them. It is a combination of calculated risk and decisive action that drives progress. Innovation is often synonymous with risk-taking. It is about stepping into the unknown, about the leap of faith that propels us towards new horizons. But how do we get the courage to dare to make the decisions needed to create innovation when the task and the potential risks are perceived as overwhelming?
If one explores the psychology behind indecisiveness, creativity actually plays a crucial role in becoming more decisive. If we’re tired, we can’t be creative, which means we can’t reframe the way we look at the difficult decisions we face. Creativity, on the other hand, flourishes when we are rested and energetic and then we can reshape our view of the decision we make, big and small, which means we can perceive challenges from new perspectives and dare to make the decisions. This, in turn, can fuel more and better decision-making.
Basically, reframing allows us to approach decisions with a broader, more flexible mindset. It frees us from locked-in thought patterns and behaviors, allowing us to explore opportunities, deal with uncertainties, and ultimately be empowered to make more informed and adaptive decisions.
How can we then facilitate decision-making in the face of innovation?
1. Make smaller decisions
Every day we are faced with choices. Research suggests that making a small decision each day is four times more effective than trying to make a bigger decision later, even if it leads to the same effect. Deciding to take a short walk every day is easier than deciding to walk 10 miles within a month. Riding an electric bike usually means that we get more exercise than riding a regular bike because we ride more often when it is easier to make the decision to take the bike. When it comes to innovation, it’s about starting somewhere, anywhere. Taking the first step and doing something, no matter how small, sets the wheels in motion.
2. Focus on the future
If we don’t like the current situation but don’t dare or have the energy to make a decision about change, wecan shift your focus to the future. If we don’t think we’ll be happy with the same circumstances a year from now, it creates a sense of urgency that drives us into action. The fact that our condition has decreased in a year’s time can make us want to go for a run. Also try to imagine a better future with creativity. Painting the future as fantastic also makes it easier to make decisions about innovative actions. Finishing a marathon can be the vision needed to go for a run in the rain. In innovation, it is important to stick to the future images we create and see the opportunities with them instead of the risks of failing with them.
3. Create new options
When faced with decisions that seem to have negative outcomes, we should consider the power of creativity. If we are forced to choose between two things, we sometimes forget that we can take both or neither. By finding more options than the ones we have, the effect can also be that we are comfortable even with choosing one of the options we had from the beginning.
Creativity thus plays a crucial role in becoming more decisive. It flourishes when we are rested and energized. Taking care of yourself and making difficult decisions at the right time of day ensures a clearer mind for creative thinking. When you are more energetic, creativity flourishes, which allows you to make decisions from new perspectives, focus on the future and start acting in small ways. This also creates a positive spiral.
The connection between creativity and decision-making is profound. When we make decisions, especially in innovative endeavors, we navigate through uncertainties. Embracing these uncertainties and finding new choices through creative thinking, guides us towards greater decisiveness in the risks of innovation projects.
So, dare to decide, inspired by the promise of what lies beyond the uncertainty that breakthrough innovation can create. Remember, in the field of innovation, risk is not just an obstacle – it is the fertile ground where the seeds of progress and transformation are sown. Choose to innovate, embrace risk and shape the future by daring to make decisions.
