Static systems stifle curiosity. Reintroduce curiosity into your brand by changing your perception of the world to a more dynamic one.Instead of focusing on controlling the outcome when innovating, focus instead on thinking in dynamic terms and accepting many possible outcomes. This fosters curiosity in your team.

Be Curious

Problem Solving

Part of finding inspiration is being keenly aware of subtle changes in your surroundings.Only by getting out of the office and living within the network participants’ worlds will you be able to notice the subtle changes that magnify inspiration.

Be Keenly Aware

To find inspiration is important to have an active imagination, and that needs to be exercised. Turn on your imagination by doing creative things.Do things that encourage people to find inspiration through the use of “out of the box” thinking. When you support this kind of thinking by not criticizing it, new inspiration will really start to flow.

Use Your Imagination

When exploring newly formed network connections, you’ve first got to gain the trust of those in the network. If you’re only there to complete your business task, it’s obvious to others and doesn’t engender trust at all.Take the time to care about the people from whom you’re trying to gain inspiration. That requires sharing a part of yourself and being more vulnerable.

Have a Human Touch

Finding inspiration is a journey with no beginning or end. Like anything else, most of us can’t find real inspiration the first time we try. Finding true inspiration is something that you’ve got to spend every day doing, a little at a time. So, bring it into your daily schedule.

Be Patient 

Being connected, but also a part of your network’s community, allows you to consistently find inspiration for both products and marketing faster than your competitors.

Always Stay Connected

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In my last article, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwinsor/2017/10/24/the-search-for-meaning-why-more-data-is-not-enough/#5428dafdf020">The Search For Meaning - Why More Data Is Not Enough </a>, I talked about moving up the information later to find more meaning in your data. In this article, I will focus on step five of the Information Spectrum - Inspiration 
The 5th step in the process of understanding data is to find new ways to find inspiration. Those brands that have the deepest connection with their consumers have a well-defined process of finding inspiration. They not only inspire their ecosystem but find inspiration as well. The brands that thrive on the inspiration that the market provides them, and can interpret it into something real, have ingrained this approach into the philosophy of the company - it goes deeper than any individual. These brands all share some common attributes based on good listening to their key voices and understanding how to leverage the networks that exist in their markets. Brands that strategically find inspiration time after time - from Apple to Nike - follow some of the same steps. They include: 
Be Curious - Have you ever spent time with someone who always knows what the next trend will be? The biggest factor is usually their sense of curiosity. Brands, as well as people, can be curious. The problem is that static systems stifle curiosity. Reintroduce curiosity into your brand by changing the way you're looking at the world to a more dynamic perspective. Instead of focusing on controlling the outcome when developing new product and marketing ideas, focus instead on thinking in dynamic terms and accepting many possible outcomes. Such an outlook, in and of itself, will go a long way in making your team more curious. 
Be Keenly Aware - Part of finding inspiration is being keenly aware of subtle changes in your surroundings. Brands that are good at it spend a lot of time deep in their market's network trying to find inspiration. Only by getting out of the office and living within the network participants' worlds will you really be able to notice the subtle changes that magnify inspiration. 
Use Your Imagination - One of the things that I am most struck by with children around is that we, as adults, have lost our imaginations. The world is a serious place, whether it's business, world affairs, the economy or, for that matter, our entertainment. Likewise, brands can take things way too seriously. In today's business environment there is a lot of underlying stress making everyone more serious. One of the key ingredients to finding inspiration is to have an active imagination. We all have imaginations but, like a muscle, you've got to use it or lose it. Turn on your imagination by doing creative things. Get your team together and have some fun. Do things that encourage people to find inspiration through the use of "out of the box" thinking. When you support this kind of thinking by not criticizing it, new inspiration will really start to flow. 
Have A Human Touch - When looking for inspiration it's essential that you do so with a human touch. When you're out trying to explore newly formed network connections, you've first got to gain the trust of those in the network. If you're only there to complete your business task, it's obvious to others and doesn't engender trust at all. Being human means taking the time to really care about the from whom you're trying to gain the inspiration that you're after. That requires sharing a part of yourself. Being more human means being more vulnerable, and that's a very hard thing to do - especially in the context of business. 
Be Patient - The most important thing to remember about finding inspiration is that it's a journey with no beginning or end. Like anything else, most of us can't find real inspiration the first time we try: the first time you see someone, you're not going to ask him or her to marry you, are you? Well, I guess it does happen... but that's pure chance. Finding true inspiration is something that you've got to spend every day doing, a little at a time. Probably the most important way to make finding inspiration happen is by integrating it into your daily schedule. It's one step at a time. 
Always Stay Connected - Apple is firmly connected to the creative community, Nike has a support system of athletes, and Patagonia is connected with outdoor adventurers. Who are you connected with? Are you networked intimately enough to your group of trend translators that you can call or email at any time to explore a couple of new ideas? Do you know them well enough that if they don't know where to find the inspiration you're looking for, they will turn you on to their network? Not only are Apple, Nike, and Patagonia connected, but they have become a vital part of their network's community, allowing them to consistently find inspiration for both products and marketing much faster than their competitors. 
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In my last article, The Search For Meaning - Why More Data Is Not Enough , I talked about moving up the information later to find more meaning in your data. In this article, I will focus on step five of the Information Spectrum - Inspiration The 5th step in the process of understanding data is to find new ways to find inspiration.

Be Curious

Six Steps To Finding Inspiration

Be Keenly Aware

Use Your Imagination

Have a Human Touch

Be Patient

Always Stay Connected

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4 Tips to Finding Inspiration

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