Four Ways to Get Your Invention Unstuck
by Matthew Yubas
Published on this site: March 7th, 2006 - See
more articles from this month
Is your invention stuck? Here's four ways to Getting
Resolution, Gearing Up, and Moving Forward.
Melissa (not her real name) has been working on her invention
for over three and a half years. It's not a complicated invention,
but she's not making any real progress. She says that she's
uncomfortable doing the market research, has uncertainty about
getting a prototype made, and isn't sure of the manufacturing
process. These are common obstacles that all inventors must
get past. Some inventors get past these hurdles relatively
quickly, while others seem to linger in the early stages.
On the surface it appears that Melissa is entrenched in the
technical details. But in reality there's probably something
deeper going on.
Four Causes of Being Stuck .In general, inventors get stuck
for one of four reasons:
- fear of failure,
- fear of success,
- being in a state of diversion,or
- lack of a roadmap.
If you're stuck, do you know the reason?
Often is the case that inventors personalize their invention
with themselves. The invention is your baby, or a reflection
of yourself. If the product doesn't sell or people comment
negatively, then you might take this too personally as if
you're a failure. These fears will only keep you in the continuous
loop of thinking, planning, and tinkering over and over again,
which keeps the invention stuck.
The second reason for being stuck might be the fear
of success. While on the surface, many inventors dream of
being rich and famous, but we may perhaps have some deeper
concerns. As a future famous inventor, you might be required
to make public appearances, be in the limelight, or "forced"
to do marketing and selling, instead of enjoying the creative part of inventing.
And not only that, the pressure will be on to make the next
great invention. While success is the promised land, it's
also a territory of unfamiliarity and uncertainty. If you
find yourself prolonging the research phase, repeating earlier
activities, or not setting deadlines, fear of success might
be the cause.
The third reason for being stuck is the desire to
be in a state of diversion. Inventing is a soothing escape
to get away from the daily demands of life and responsibilities.
While inventing, you're in a safe environment that you control.
You either tinker with an idea for years, or move from idea
to idea. Sam, an inventor friend, has a notebook full of ideas. He has no intention
of marketing them, but enjoys the challenge of figuring things
out. Sam says he's a collector, and in his case, it's product
ideas. He's not really stuck. He just likes to exercise
his brain. But, an inventor is stuck if there's a conflict
in which a state of diversion, and getting a product to market,
are both desirable.
The fourth reason for being stuck is a lack of the
roadmap of the steps to get to market. Imagine you were to
take a trip driving across the country. And suppose you didn't
have a roadmap. You would likely take wrong turns, backtrack,
and zigzag your way across the country, assuming you even
make it. That's the same with inventing. Without a roadmap,
you'll likely be spinning your wheels in place.
In some cases, it's a mix of these fears and uncertainties.
As with any major undertaking, there's some apprehension in
not knowing what lies ahead.
Getting Resolution, Gearing Up, and Moving Forward
For fear of failure, a few simple remedies can help. First,
disconnect you from the invention. You need to de-personalize
your relation to the invention. If you receive negative feedback,
it's not a sign of personal failure. It's a lesson of experience.
heard a speech by Garry Ridge, CEO of WD-40 discuss this
issue. When something does not turn out well, the experience
is reframed as a "learning moment." They do this
as a way to drive out the fear of making mistakes within the
organization.
Also, move the focus away from yourself and on to the people
who will benefit from your new idea. Instead of dwelling on
your fears, shift your attention and visualize the people
that will benefit most from using your product. Imagine getting
letters from people, thanking you for making their lives better.
When writing my book Product Idea to Product Success, I was scared
stiff that people would hate it. By getting positive feedback
with initial drafts, and changing my center of attention to
helping others, I was able to move forward.
If you have identified fear of success as a potential problem,
there are ways to overcome this. The thought that success
will bring on new responsibilities that you can't handle is
not necessarily true. Going through the invention process,
and getting a product in the market, will strengthen and empower
you along the way. To get there, make a list of all the steps
to complete the product. Then focus your attention on the
current tasks at hand, rather than what could happen in the
future.
Inventing as a state of diversion is ok, as long as you're
clear on your goals. If you're not seeking financial rewards
from your ideas, then tinkering with inventions is a great
hobby to pursue. But at some point if you really want to test
market your ideas, spend some of your time learning other
aspects of inventing such as marketing and product development.
Summary
Think in terms of degrees of success rather than all or nothing.
Making millions of dollars is a tough standard to set for
your invention. Completing a product is a success itself.
Maybe your first invention sells a hundred units, then an
improved version sells a thousand, and more the next time.
Being creative you're likely to come up with new inventions
that are better and more marketable. Few successes are made
overnight.
If you're spending many months or years on an idea and not
making any real progress, you're either dealing with fears,
lacking a roadmap to follow, or a combination of these. The
formula for invention success is a mix of creativity, knowledge
of development and marketing (Market-Step process), having
the mindset to take risks (even small ones), willingness to learn
from mistakes (rather than quitting), and the right timing
in the market. You don't have to struggle with this alone.
Get assistance from people who have gone through the invention
process before. And, most importantly, look at what might
be holding you back, and resolve those issues first, then
move forward one step at a time.
Matthew Yubas is a Certified Professional Marketing
Consultant for the Small Business Development and International
Trade Center. He has earned a B.S. in Engineering and an M.B.A.
in Management. Articles, tips, coaching, and his Invention
Success Kit are available at http://www.Product-Coach.com.
|
