Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Many things can prevent us from enjoying our lives and our work. Finding ways to deal with these challenges is crucial, so they don't take away our happiness. Innovation is all about creating new things and solving problems. Finding the joy of innovation motivates every innovator.
Being a part of successful innovation adds joy to your life. That joy has motivated me for 40 years of my career in innovation. It can be gratifying if you're able to make a difference in the world through innovation.
What Brought Me Joy of Innovation
In 1986, I led the development of one of the first biometric security devices, a fingerprint reader for a company called ThumbScan. Eventually, a company out of Stockholm acquired ThumbScan. Delivering something nobody thought could ever invent excited me and made me want to repeat it.
Next, I worked on a supercomputer project at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. There was a researcher that had developed the concept of massively parallel supercomputers. The processing architecture was called MISC, which drove a lot of interest when we developed it. Ultimately, it got acquired by Atmel. It was exciting to see something we'd worked on for so long and so hard become real. The excitement gave others also brought me joy. Again, this joy motivated me to continue the process.
Finding Joy of Innovation At Work
Many things can take the joy out of innovation. While finding joy in your work is hard, making a few changes in your mindset is possible. Here are a few tips that I've applied over my career:
- Make a list of things you love at your job
A list can help you remember why you chose this career in the first place
- Set small goals for yourself and celebrate when you reach them
Goals can help give you a sense of accomplishment rather than waiting for the big win. I believe in utilizing Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).
- Find a mentor or role model who loves their work
A mentor can give you a different perspective and encourage you
- Take a break when you're feeling overwhelmed
Breaks can help you clear your head and come back to your work refreshed
- Talk to your friends and family about your work.
Get those close friends and families who will tell you the truth and have your back when you need them.
To know more about finding joy as an innovator, listen to this week's show: The Joy of Innovation.
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