Innovation. Everyone’s always reaching for it, but not everyone can make it happen.

People ask me all the time how I come up with my ideas for Hello Innovation, or where the inspiration for projects comes from. My answer for them is usually something like “It just... happened”. And that’s how innovation usually occurs. It could be an out-of-nowhere, *ah-ha* moment, or it can be something that took years to conjure up in your mind.

So how can you encourage innovation, and in turn, creativity at your workplace or home? I’ve put together 6 of my favorite Ted Talks that have inspired me over the years. Who knows, after watching these videos, you may have just the inspiration you need to make that next big idea happen. Enjoy!

 

 THE PUZZLE OF MOTIVATION

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrkrvAUbU9Y&w=560&h=315]

 

What kind of motivation do you think is more effective in a workplace - intrinsic
(meaning, purpose) or extrinsic (rewards, money)? In this entertaining,
incredibly informative Ted Talk with Dan Pink, you’ll be shocked by the results.

Dan makes a case (quite literally) that there is a HUGE mismatch between what
science knows and what business does. And he claims that once business realizes this, our
productivity, motivation and creativity levels could change – in a positive
way... forever.

 

HACKSCHOOLING MAKES ME HAPPY

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h11u3vtcpaY&w=560&h=315]

 

What do you want to be when you grow up? At the age of 13, Logan LaPlante already knows that he  just wants to be... happy. He invites us to ask ourselves: “why is learning how to be happy and healthy not a huge priority in our schools?”

To demonstrate why happiness is importance in education, Logan compares his alternative form of education (what he calls “Hackschooling”) to skiing on mountain and explains that if everyone skied in the same spot of the mountain, imagine how much of the mountain there would be left to discover. As someone who went against the grain and declined my own formal college education, I can’t help but be inspired by Logan’s amazing story.

 

YOUR ELUSIVE CREATIVE GENIUS

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86x-u-tz0MA&w=560&h=315]

 

When Elizabeth Gilbert wrote “Eat Pray Love” she experienced what she calls “freakish success”. She explains that when artists or creative people make something that’s “freakishly” successful, they often wonder if that means they’re biggest achievement is behind them.

So is that the reason why so many artists and geniuses experience anguish after their success? Maybe, but thankfully, Elizabeth offers a possible solution to that anguish. And if you consider yourself to be even a little creative, I encourage you to find out what her solution is.

 

TALES OF CREATIVITY & PLAY

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjwUn-aA0VY&w=560&h=420]

 

According to Tim Brown, it’s fear of embarrassment that causes people to be conservative in our thinking. That means if we have a great idea, we might be scared to share it with anyone else.

So how do we encourage creativity at the workplace without fear of embarrassment? It’s simple... by building a workplace that’s relaxed AND playful. Tim’s interactive and hilarious talk shows us the importance of creativity and play. And please, do try his funny examples at home.

 

WHERE GOOD IDEAS COME FROM

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0af00UcTO-c&w=560&h=315]

Innovation can occur anywhere and within anyone. But what sparks those key moments that lead to innovation? While we might think that innovation happens in a fleeting moment, Steve Johnson thinks the opposite is usually quite true. Steve takes us through an interesting narrative through some of the greatest innovations of all time, giving us insight on how to create an environment that breeds innovation.

 

 THE ERA OF OPEN INNOVATION

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7raJeMpyM0&w=560&h=420]

 

Who invented the mountain bike? You might think a huge corporation in the bicycle industry did, but the mountain bike actually came from a community of young bikers from California who were frustrated with traditional bikes. And gradually, mountain bikes increased in popularity, now accounting for 65% of bike sales in the US.

This was a bike category entirely created by consumers, not by the mainstream market. Charles Leadbeater explains the explosion of open innovation and shows us how to organize ourselves and our innovation... without organizations. For all of you entrepreneurial-minded folks out there, this is the Ted Talk for you!

What’s your favorite Ted Talk? Share it with us in the comments below!