November 27, 2025 • 28 mins
Welcome to another powerful episode of the Inspirations for your Life Show—the daily motivational show that helps you become more unstoppable, one insight at a time. This is John C. Morley, Serial Entrepreneur, Engineer, Marketing Specialist, Video Producer, Podcast Host, Coach, Graduate Student, and of course, a passionate lifelong learner who is dedicated to helping you unlock your full potential every single day. Today’s master topic is “Unstoppable You — The Blueprint for Modern Growth and Resilience,” and our granular topic is “Creativity and Innovation in Action” plus some powerful Digital Productivity and Life Hacks you can start using right away. Get ready, because this episode is all about turning your ideas into action and your devices into tools that truly work for you.
Now, let’s power up your Digital Productivity and Life Hacks—because creativity thrives when your digital world is organized and efficient.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:23):
Well, hey guys, happy Thanksgiving.
Great to be with you here on Inspirations
for Your Life on Thanksgiving.
I hope you guys have had a great
day.
You know, if you celebrate Thanksgiving, there's so
much that we have to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for all of you guys, whether
this is your first time coming to watch
(00:44):
the show, or you've been here many times
in the past, I'd like to say thank
you.
If you've been here before, I'd like to
say thank you, and of course, a big
welcome back to you.
Thank you so much.
And we have another great show for you
guys.
But before I get into the show, I
do want to, of course, let you know
that you can check out BelieveMeAchieved.com for
(01:07):
more of my amazing, of course, inspiring creations,
which you can do 24 hours a day.
That is after the show is over at
BelieveMeAchieved.com.
Our master topic for the week is the
blueprint for modern growth and resilience.
So yes, definitely a great show, everyone.
And if you're thirsty or you're hungry, feel
(01:27):
free to go get something and hurry on
back, make yourself comfortable, and let's kick this
show off.
All right, everyone?
Okay.
So as I say to everyone here, again,
a big, a warm welcome, everyone, and of
course, a very big happy Thanksgiving to everyone
that celebrates Thanksgiving.
It is so great to be with everybody.
(01:49):
So grateful for all of you that are
here today.
Thank you so much because we have a
great show with you guys.
So unstoppable growth starts with daily habits.
And I'm John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
I'm an engineer and marketing specialist, video producer,
podcast host, coach, graduate student, and of course,
(02:13):
a passionate lifelong learner.
And on today's show, well, I've got a
lot to share with you.
I'm going to be sharing 30, let's say,
ways we can hit creativity and innovation, some
clever moves, and using digital productivity hacks you
(02:35):
can start to use right now.
So if you haven't guessed already, our granular
topic for tonight is creativity and innovation.
And so, yes, that's what this show is
about tonight.
And it is series four, show 48, episode
number six.
And it's our Thanksgiving show.
(02:56):
So I hope you guys didn't eat too
much turkey, have too much pie.
It's always one of those days, right?
And usually people get tired.
Today, I'm very grateful that I actually didn't
get tired after eating the turkey.
So that was really cool.
All right, so let's kick right off.
So number one is start a daily idea
journal.
It doesn't have to be anything big or
(03:17):
complicated.
It can just be whatever you have, something
you can look at, something to refer back
to.
Number two, guys, find inspiration outside your industry.
A lot of people look for inspiration inside
their industry thinking, you know, this is the
best place to do it.
But I got to tell you, sometimes the
best inspiration is found outside of what you
(03:38):
see every day.
And I think that's important because a lot
of times our perception is only focused on
our immediate circle.
Number three, guys, try a new creative hobby
monthly.
What's that going to do?
Well, that's going to open up perspectives for
you so that you're going to be able
to see new pathways and understand things that
(03:59):
maybe you didn't understand before.
So I think that's a very important thing
to realize.
And number four is no rules brainstorming time.
So that's when you just sit and you
brainstorm about whatever.
I think that's an important thing to understand.
(04:21):
I think when we can do these things,
that's when the magic happens.
Okay.
That's when the magic happens.
And number five, guys, make cool things.
No permission needed to make cool stuff.
So you can make cool stuff every day.
And again, be on track with what you
(04:46):
want to do, what you want to get
out of life.
I think that's important.
Number six, take a different route to work.
You might say, John, what's this going to
do?
Well, you might see a different sign.
You might be aware of different things that
might spark some imagination that might have not
gelled if you kept going the old way.
(05:07):
So again, go a different way.
You'll enjoy a different scenic route.
You might get some other inspiration to some
ideas that maybe would have never surfaced if
you didn't go that way.
Number seven, share your wildest idea.
I think this is a really interesting one.
So a lot of times we have these
ideas, but we're afraid to share them.
(05:29):
So again, I'm not saying to share to
the world.
I'm saying to share it to people you
know, like, and trust.
That's important because, you know, if the idea
is not ready for the real world, well,
then it shouldn't be shared with everybody, right?
I think that's important to understand.
So share your wildest idea with someone you
know, like, and trust.
That's really important.
Number eight, guys, ask an interesting question.
(05:52):
And that question is, what if, regularly?
What do you mean, John, what if?
Well, what if we did this differently?
What if we said this instead?
What if I was over here?
What if I read this book?
What if I, maybe you went back to
school like myself.
What if I said yes to myself more
(06:14):
often?
What if?
What if gets us to proverbially look at
things the way they could be, but not
the way they are right now?
It gets us to creatively suppose a different
outcome.
Number nine, watch a documentary outside your comfort
(06:35):
zone.
So that could be anything.
But when you do this, your mind is
going to pay attention.
And you're going to gain some new insights
to something maybe you wouldn't have gained before.
Number 10.
(06:57):
Number 10 is prototype before you understand it'll
be perfect.
I said to you guys before that we
need to prototype stuff.
And we need to keep keeping on.
This goes back to a very important story,
which is about the little engine that could,
you all remember that story.
And the little engine that could just kept
(07:18):
saying to itself, I think I can, I
think I can, I think I can, I
think I can.
And one day, the engine was actually asked
to pull basically a large line of freight.
And another time, the engine was asked to
(07:39):
pull people.
And when that happened, and when the engine
asked for help, nobody wanted to help the
engine, but the engine stuck in there and
did it.
And people were very happy.
Number 11, steal inspiration from nature.
You know, there's so many different things in
nature from things like Fibonacci patterns, to the
(08:02):
colors we see, to the shapes we see,
to the sounds, to the patterns of things
like waves.
I don't know if you guys know this,
but when a wave comes in, actually, as
the waves coming in, there's a circle that's
actually going around.
The energy is transferring as the wave is
(08:22):
coming in.
And then depending on whether the amplitude is
high or low, the circle is either a
smaller or bigger.
So that's a real cool thing to understand
that a lot of these things we didn't
expect are in nature every single day.
Number 12, mix old school with new tech.
Mix what you've learned yesterday and add the
(08:45):
new tech to and see if it doesn't
help you learn more, see if it doesn't
give a different spin, or give you another
what if answer.
Number 13, say yes to a creative collaboration.
So maybe the collaboration is something that maybe
you're scared about, but say yes to it.
Number 14, use things on the go.
(09:07):
When we use things on the go, our
brain is being fired to do stuff.
But if we don't do that, then our
brain just kind of like gets out of
rhythm.
Number 15, guys, start a failure wall.
What the heck is that?
Something just for fun.
A failure wall is a place where you
(09:29):
can put your failures, but then you can
go back and you can retool those and
you can use them as lessons and you
can turn them into successes.
I think that's a very important thing, but
a lot of people don't really understand or
get that.
I think it's important that we understand why
that happens.
(09:49):
And it happens because when we've done something
and we're not done with it yet, okay,
and we still see it in our mind's
eye, we want to go back and fix
that, right?
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but when
we see that failure, we don't want failures
to stay failures.
We want them to change in things that
(10:10):
could become very creative and help us reach
goals.
Number 17, remix your past work.
Sometimes we're doing stuff and it doesn't make
sense, but when we choose to remix the
concepts of other things, that's when light bulbs
start to turn on, okay?
Light bulbs come on and we start to
realize, wait, what if I did this?
(10:31):
And that's the whole question.
What if this?
What if that?
What if this situation, right?
What ifs allow us to answer those kinds
of questions?
What if allows us to suppose a different
alternative, a different outcome in the future?
One that probably will happen if we did
something else.
(10:51):
What if I said this?
What if I showed up extra early?
What if I read a book every week?
What if I decided to learn a new
language?
What if I took my challenges and actually
(11:11):
saw them as, well, teaching moments?
That'd be pretty cool, right?
Number 18, guys, subscribe to a random newsletter,
okay?
A newsletter, random, something though that you're interested
in.
When I say random, something that you're probably
(11:32):
interested in, the general topic, but it could
be random, just looking at it.
And that'll get your brain involved because you're
going to be curious, right?
Number 19, guys, try a digital free creative
session.
That means doing things that are not related
to technology, but doing things just with our
(11:54):
mind.
I think that's a very important thing to
understand.
And when we understand that, I think it'll
make you realize something really great.
And what it will help you understand is
that when we realize the fact that we
have so much power, I think most people
(12:22):
just don't really get the fact that we
can do stuff without technology.
Now, I'm not saying to never use technology,
but I'm saying if we use our mind,
if we use the world, if we use
nature, if we use others, we can start
to harness some creative energy that maybe wasn't
(12:45):
present before, thinking about how we could do
something a certain way, right?
I think those are very key and important
insights that a lot of people miss because
they're always looking for something that feeds out
something.
But a lot of times that feedback that
you're getting from technology might be steering you
(13:07):
down a wrong path, all right?
Number 20.
Number 20 is this, volunteer skills to a
new course.
So it could be, you know, maybe helping
build something to teach other people.
It could be helping you learn something for
(13:28):
a new course that you're understanding.
Number 21, organize a virtual think tank.
So a virtual think tank is a think
tank where people are not present.
They're virtual, like through Zooms or Slacks or
other types of, you know, remote communications with
(13:50):
video conferencing and microphones and things like that.
And I think when somebody's virtual, we a
lot of times discredit it because we think
that nothing can come from it.
But really, you know, a lot would come
from people that would do conference calls.
You know, they did conference calls a lot
in the 80s, but now people are realizing,
well, you know, we want to do more
of the conference call.
We want to do a video conference call.
(14:11):
And I think those are important things to
realize, guys, because when we understand, like, what
they are and how they work, we start
to, like, well, gravitate toward a personality that
supports feedback in a virtual environment.
So let's take example.
(14:31):
Maybe you're trying to come up with a
new, it could be a new logo or
what have you, right?
And so you assemble some people in a
team, and you just start kicking around some
ideas.
Well, what are we known for?
What colors?
And we kind of just kick ideas back
and forth.
And we go, well, yeah, that's a good
(14:52):
idea.
I like that.
And yeah, the color's good, but maybe we
should add a person to this.
Maybe we should add this kind of shape
because that would symbolize this of what we
do.
And I think people would connect more with
that.
You understand what I'm doing?
So a virtual think tank, even though the
people are not in person, they're virtual.
(15:14):
And the benefits are very well received from
a virtual team because you don't have to
pick up and go somewhere.
You could just be on there with a
cup of coffee or tea or lunch, and
you could just be chatting with people.
Virtual think tanks have gotten extremely, extremely popular
(15:34):
right now.
Twenty-two, trade tasks with a peer.
So why would we want to do this?
So we want to trade tasks to the
peer because sometimes if we get a chance
to do what that other person does or
(15:54):
walk in their shoes, that's how we would
always say it, walk in that person's shoes
for a day or more, we'll start to
appreciate the things they do.
And then maybe we can actually change the
way something else would be presented because now
we understand more of how it works for
(16:15):
them.
When we start to get that glimpse of
that insight, it's like, oh, now I understand
why we do that, or now I understand
how we could do that better.
Number 23, map a personal innovation pipeline.
So what is that?
(16:36):
That's you.
You could take paper, you could take a
computer, and you're literally logically mapping out what
is your strategy, what's your implementation that you're
going to use.
And then you reference that point.
A good way to do this is with
index cards.
The reason I like index cards is because
maybe the strategy that you thought, the order
(16:59):
needs to change.
And so you can just use flashcards and
put them in certain orders.
And that can change.
And when you change something, well, that could
change the outcome.
I think those are pretty cool things.
But sometimes when we write them down, it's
like, oh, I don't want to do that
because, you know, I'd have to change it
or I have to rewrite all over again,
or it's a computer, or I'd have to
go back and edit it again.
And people are lazy.
So again, if you put things on index
(17:20):
cards, that's a great way to get people
to definitely understand.
Number 24, guys, document your process visually.
Similar to what I was saying before, but
the thing about documenting it is now you
know the order.
(17:41):
You can use pictures from a magazine.
You can use pictures from like a vizio.
You can use pictures online.
This is just for you to represent the
process.
So let me see if I can give
you an example.
Let's say that we are placing an order,
right?
So the first thing we might have is
(18:02):
how the order is going to come in.
So we'd have a picture of a telephone,
picture of a computer for the internet, or
a person, somebody coming in person, right?
So that's how they'd come, and then depending
on where they are, they would either do
something a little bit differently.
So if they were on the phone or
(18:23):
they were in person, they would talk to
another person, probably.
If they were online, they would talk to
a computer database.
The order would go into the computer.
If they were a live person there or
the phone, like, okay, how can I help
you?
I'd like to order a dozen.
I don't know.
I'd like to order a dozen.
(18:50):
What do I want to order a dozen
of?
I'd like to order a dozen cases of,
let's say, cat six-jacks.
A dozen cases of or I'd like to
order 48 feet of flex tubing.
(19:14):
I'd like to order a pack of relockable
ties.
So then what typically happens on the personal
end is they take the order and they
usually will, the person will either type it
in the computer, hear some clicking and typing,
and then after that, usually you'll hear him
(19:37):
say confirmed.
Okay, we got everything.
Great.
And then sometimes you might hear somebody say
order up or you'll get an email back
saying, you know, your order is in process,
right?
If it's in person or on the phone
or they're going to ship it to you
or there, you're going to go pick it
up.
If it's online, then what's going to happen
is you're going to, you may also get
(19:59):
an email there, but you'll get a different
kind of confirmation because now you're dealing with
a website, so it's a little bit different.
So that's how the process works.
We have the picture of the people, right?
And then we have, like I said, the
telephone, the computer and the person, and then
a line may be drawn to where it's
going.
So for example, if it's a phone call,
(20:20):
we could go to another person, like somebody
in customer service.
If it's a computer, maybe it's going to
go to a picture of an e-commerce
store.
If it's a phone call, it's just maybe
it's going to go to a person as
well.
After that, the order is then going to
get entered into.
So it's actually still going to go to
(20:41):
a computer, but it's like the computer's there,
but now it's like the computer just saves
a step.
Otherwise, the person has to go through one
step.
So then that gets done.
And then once that gets done, that other
steps get done, and then the order gets
put in, then everything just goes through as
if it was just like an e-commerce
order, but the only difference is it gets
picked as if you're there.
So those are some cool things about how
that works.
(21:01):
Number 25, pitch an idea to a skeptic.
This is not easy.
And the reason you want to do this
is it helps you to build your resilience.
Regardless of the person saying yes or no
to your idea, it helps you build your
resilience of what you can do.
Number 26, revisit a passion project.
(21:23):
Maybe there was something that got shoved up
on a shelf for a long time.
You're like, I don't know what to do
with this.
I have no idea.
So when your passion starts to flare, you
want to get back and do the project
again.
Number 27, collect weekly inspiration moments.
You could put an inspirational jar in your
office or your home, and you can have
(21:45):
people just write little positive inspirations.
I know one place that I went to
the library, they said give an inspiration, take
an inspiration.
And I thought that was really cool that
you could take one and give one.
And a lot of times we think these
things are corny, but these are the things
that get us to raise our dopamine level
(22:07):
in our body.
And I think those are pretty cool things.
Number 28, learn a new creative tool each
month.
That could be anything from a process you're
working on, that could be a new language,
could be a lot of different things.
(22:27):
New sales tactic, a new listening technique, a
new way of organizing your ideas, like the
flow charts we talked about here today.
Number 29, challenge a friend to a creative
duel.
Now, you're not doing this to be nasty
to him or her.
You're doing this to create some insight, to
get them to think, to get you to
(22:48):
think.
We call it devil's advocate.
So if everybody just agreed with everything you
said, right, that'd be great.
But then there are going to be people
that are not going to agree with you.
So by you being devil's advocate, now you're
ready for the person that says, oh, well,
you know, that's too much money.
And then you can come back and say
something now that you're prepared.
I understand where you're coming from.
(23:08):
And I thought the same thing when I
first heard about the product.
And then when I had a chance to
look at it and actually play with it
and see that it actually, once I was
learning more about it, that it actually saved
me almost a hundred percent of the expense
within, I'm going to say three months.
(23:29):
So those are the kind of ideas that
happen.
And as we get to adopt to them,
then we start to appreciate things like how
things are done or how things are not.
I think those are important things to understand.
Number 30 guys, number 30 post work in
progress publicly.
(23:49):
So why do you do this?
You do this to let people know that
the job is not complete, but this is
the status of it.
Like, you know, we are currently digging the
pool a hole, or we are currently waiting
for our inspection, or we are currently finishing
up the electrical work, or we're currently finishing
(24:11):
up the plumbing work, or we're currently awaiting
our inspection, or we are done with all
of our rough plumbing and electrical and we're
waiting for the tile to arrive.
Whatever it is, maybe it's a sales process.
Okay.
So we are already in the process of
(24:32):
gathering our perspectives and now we're going to
go ahead and send the first touch campaign,
which is an email.
Then we're going to make a phone call.
So we can make this, we say publicly,
publicly doesn't necessarily mean the people outside of
organization.
It could be depending on what the project
is, but it could also be internally.
So people inside the project understand what the
(24:53):
project is and where it's going.
I think communication becomes really important regardless of
what you're doing.
But the communication allows people to realize that
progress is being made.
I think that's a really important one.
So digital productivity and life hacks.
(25:13):
And I think that's important guys, you know,
customizing your workspace for flow, you know, shortcutting
frequent tasks, automating one repetitive job, using voice
commands, like do not disturb, focus window sessions,
like the Pomodoro sessions, weekly cleanup of your
(25:35):
desktop, try split screens.
I think you'll find that it'll be very
productive for you.
Use sticky notes for urgent messages.
Color code your calendar.
This is a great way to track things.
Track and optimize screen time.
Batch, notify of different things that are coming
up.
Use cloud docs.
If you want, try new productivity apps.
(25:56):
As I said, monthly.
Set timers for your mundane tasks.
And unsubscribe from useless emails.
Create keyboard shortcuts.
One click data backup.
Use dark mode.
Two-minute morning setup ritual, which is great
to do.
Maybe it's a thank you, a gratitude routine.
(26:19):
Organize bookmarks by project.
Auto respond when off duty by using auto
responders.
Chargers at every workstation can save time and
effort, right?
Keep you more productive.
Not in the search for, you know, where's
the charger or the fact that, you know,
my phone could be dead or whatever because
(26:40):
now I can't find one.
Social media blackout zones.
When are those?
Maybe you have certain times when there are
blackout times.
Stay paperless when possible.
Tame notification chaos because it can get kind
of unruly in the digital world.
Use voice to text, realizing that it may
(27:01):
not be perfect.
Keep a digital vision board.
Default to mute on calls.
Tag files for easy retrieval.
And lastly, end each workday with logout and
reflection.
Which number are you starting with today?
I know there's so many here to think
about.
I hope you guys got some really cool
(27:23):
insights tonight and knowing that our creativity doesn't
have to be in the digital world.
It can later be, let's say, refined in
the digital world, but we can start it
in, let's say, the non-digital world.
I think that's a pretty powerful thing.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
It is always such a privilege and pleasure
(27:43):
and honor to be with you here on
the Inspirations for Your Life show.
I hope that you've all had a very
happy, healthy, safe, relaxing, enjoyable Thanksgiving with your
friends and family.
And I hope that you had a moment
to give gratitude for many things you're thankful
for.
Have a good one.
I'm definitely thankful for you.
Be well, everyone.
Well, hey guys, happy Thanksgiving.
Great to be with you here on Inspirations
for Your Life on Thanksgiving.
I hope you guys have had a great
day.
You know, if you celebrate Thanksgiving, there's so
much that we have to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for all of you guys, whether
this is your first time coming to watch
(00:44):
the show, or you've been here many times
in the past, I'd like to say thank
you.
If you've been here before, I'd like to
say thank you, and of course, a big
welcome back to you.
Thank you so much.
And we have another great show for you
guys.
But before I get into the show, I
do want to, of course, let you know
that you can check out BelieveMeAchieved.com for
(01:07):
more of my amazing, of course, inspiring creations,
which you can do 24 hours a day.
That is after the show is over at
BelieveMeAchieved.com.
Our master topic for the week is the
blueprint for modern growth and resilience.
So yes, definitely a great show, everyone.
And if you're thirsty or you're hungry, feel
(01:27):
free to go get something and hurry on
back, make yourself comfortable, and let's kick this
show off.
All right, everyone?
Okay.
So as I say to everyone here, again,
a big, a warm welcome, everyone, and of
course, a very big happy Thanksgiving to everyone
that celebrates Thanksgiving.
It is so great to be with everybody.
(01:49):
So grateful for all of you that are
here today.
Thank you so much because we have a
great show with you guys.
So unstoppable growth starts with daily habits.
And I'm John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
I'm an engineer and marketing specialist, video producer,
podcast host, coach, graduate student, and of course,
(02:13):
a passionate lifelong learner.
And on today's show, well, I've got a
lot to share with you.
I'm going to be sharing 30, let's say,
ways we can hit creativity and innovation, some
clever moves, and using digital productivity hacks you
(02:35):
can start to use right now.
So if you haven't guessed already, our granular
topic for tonight is creativity and innovation.
And so, yes, that's what this show is
about tonight.
And it is series four, show 48, episode
number six.
And it's our Thanksgiving show.
(02:56):
So I hope you guys didn't eat too
much turkey, have too much pie.
It's always one of those days, right?
And usually people get tired.
Today, I'm very grateful that I actually didn't
get tired after eating the turkey.
So that was really cool.
All right, so let's kick right off.
So number one is start a daily idea
journal.
It doesn't have to be anything big or
(03:17):
complicated.
It can just be whatever you have, something
you can look at, something to refer back
to.
Number two, guys, find inspiration outside your industry.
A lot of people look for inspiration inside
their industry thinking, you know, this is the
best place to do it.
But I got to tell you, sometimes the
best inspiration is found outside of what you
(03:38):
see every day.
And I think that's important because a lot
of times our perception is only focused on
our immediate circle.
Number three, guys, try a new creative hobby
monthly.
What's that going to do?
Well, that's going to open up perspectives for
you so that you're going to be able
to see new pathways and understand things that
(03:59):
maybe you didn't understand before.
So I think that's a very important thing
to realize.
And number four is no rules brainstorming time.
So that's when you just sit and you
brainstorm about whatever.
I think that's an important thing to understand.
(04:21):
I think when we can do these things,
that's when the magic happens.
Okay.
That's when the magic happens.
And number five, guys, make cool things.
No permission needed to make cool stuff.
So you can make cool stuff every day.
And again, be on track with what you
(04:46):
want to do, what you want to get
out of life.
I think that's important.
Number six, take a different route to work.
You might say, John, what's this going to
do?
Well, you might see a different sign.
You might be aware of different things that
might spark some imagination that might have not
gelled if you kept going the old way.
(05:07):
So again, go a different way.
You'll enjoy a different scenic route.
You might get some other inspiration to some
ideas that maybe would have never surfaced if
you didn't go that way.
Number seven, share your wildest idea.
I think this is a really interesting one.
So a lot of times we have these
ideas, but we're afraid to share them.
(05:29):
So again, I'm not saying to share to
the world.
I'm saying to share it to people you
know, like, and trust.
That's important because, you know, if the idea
is not ready for the real world, well,
then it shouldn't be shared with everybody, right?
I think that's important to understand.
So share your wildest idea with someone you
know, like, and trust.
That's really important.
Number eight, guys, ask an interesting question.
(05:52):
And that question is, what if, regularly?
What do you mean, John, what if?
Well, what if we did this differently?
What if we said this instead?
What if I was over here?
What if I read this book?
What if I, maybe you went back to
school like myself.
What if I said yes to myself more
(06:14):
often?
What if?
What if gets us to proverbially look at
things the way they could be, but not
the way they are right now?
It gets us to creatively suppose a different
outcome.
Number nine, watch a documentary outside your comfort
(06:35):
zone.
So that could be anything.
But when you do this, your mind is
going to pay attention.
And you're going to gain some new insights
to something maybe you wouldn't have gained before.
Number 10.
(06:57):
Number 10 is prototype before you understand it'll
be perfect.
I said to you guys before that we
need to prototype stuff.
And we need to keep keeping on.
This goes back to a very important story,
which is about the little engine that could,
you all remember that story.
And the little engine that could just kept
(07:18):
saying to itself, I think I can, I
think I can, I think I can, I
think I can.
And one day, the engine was actually asked
to pull basically a large line of freight.
And another time, the engine was asked to
(07:39):
pull people.
And when that happened, and when the engine
asked for help, nobody wanted to help the
engine, but the engine stuck in there and
did it.
And people were very happy.
Number 11, steal inspiration from nature.
You know, there's so many different things in
nature from things like Fibonacci patterns, to the
(08:02):
colors we see, to the shapes we see,
to the sounds, to the patterns of things
like waves.
I don't know if you guys know this,
but when a wave comes in, actually, as
the waves coming in, there's a circle that's
actually going around.
The energy is transferring as the wave is
(08:22):
coming in.
And then depending on whether the amplitude is
high or low, the circle is either a
smaller or bigger.
So that's a real cool thing to understand
that a lot of these things we didn't
expect are in nature every single day.
Number 12, mix old school with new tech.
Mix what you've learned yesterday and add the
(08:45):
new tech to and see if it doesn't
help you learn more, see if it doesn't
give a different spin, or give you another
what if answer.
Number 13, say yes to a creative collaboration.
So maybe the collaboration is something that maybe
you're scared about, but say yes to it.
Number 14, use things on the go.
(09:07):
When we use things on the go, our
brain is being fired to do stuff.
But if we don't do that, then our
brain just kind of like gets out of
rhythm.
Number 15, guys, start a failure wall.
What the heck is that?
Something just for fun.
A failure wall is a place where you
(09:29):
can put your failures, but then you can
go back and you can retool those and
you can use them as lessons and you
can turn them into successes.
I think that's a very important thing, but
a lot of people don't really understand or
get that.
I think it's important that we understand why
that happens.
(09:49):
And it happens because when we've done something
and we're not done with it yet, okay,
and we still see it in our mind's
eye, we want to go back and fix
that, right?
Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but when
we see that failure, we don't want failures
to stay failures.
We want them to change in things that
(10:10):
could become very creative and help us reach
goals.
Number 17, remix your past work.
Sometimes we're doing stuff and it doesn't make
sense, but when we choose to remix the
concepts of other things, that's when light bulbs
start to turn on, okay?
Light bulbs come on and we start to
realize, wait, what if I did this?
(10:31):
And that's the whole question.
What if this?
What if that?
What if this situation, right?
What ifs allow us to answer those kinds
of questions?
What if allows us to suppose a different
alternative, a different outcome in the future?
One that probably will happen if we did
something else.
(10:51):
What if I said this?
What if I showed up extra early?
What if I read a book every week?
What if I decided to learn a new
language?
What if I took my challenges and actually
(11:11):
saw them as, well, teaching moments?
That'd be pretty cool, right?
Number 18, guys, subscribe to a random newsletter,
okay?
A newsletter, random, something though that you're interested
in.
When I say random, something that you're probably
(11:32):
interested in, the general topic, but it could
be random, just looking at it.
And that'll get your brain involved because you're
going to be curious, right?
Number 19, guys, try a digital free creative
session.
That means doing things that are not related
to technology, but doing things just with our
(11:54):
mind.
I think that's a very important thing to
understand.
And when we understand that, I think it'll
make you realize something really great.
And what it will help you understand is
that when we realize the fact that we
have so much power, I think most people
(12:22):
just don't really get the fact that we
can do stuff without technology.
Now, I'm not saying to never use technology,
but I'm saying if we use our mind,
if we use the world, if we use
nature, if we use others, we can start
to harness some creative energy that maybe wasn't
(12:45):
present before, thinking about how we could do
something a certain way, right?
I think those are very key and important
insights that a lot of people miss because
they're always looking for something that feeds out
something.
But a lot of times that feedback that
you're getting from technology might be steering you
(13:07):
down a wrong path, all right?
Number 20.
Number 20 is this, volunteer skills to a
new course.
So it could be, you know, maybe helping
build something to teach other people.
It could be helping you learn something for
(13:28):
a new course that you're understanding.
Number 21, organize a virtual think tank.
So a virtual think tank is a think
tank where people are not present.
They're virtual, like through Zooms or Slacks or
other types of, you know, remote communications with
(13:50):
video conferencing and microphones and things like that.
And I think when somebody's virtual, we a
lot of times discredit it because we think
that nothing can come from it.
But really, you know, a lot would come
from people that would do conference calls.
You know, they did conference calls a lot
in the 80s, but now people are realizing,
well, you know, we want to do more
of the conference call.
We want to do a video conference call.
(14:11):
And I think those are important things to
realize, guys, because when we understand, like, what
they are and how they work, we start
to, like, well, gravitate toward a personality that
supports feedback in a virtual environment.
So let's take example.
(14:31):
Maybe you're trying to come up with a
new, it could be a new logo or
what have you, right?
And so you assemble some people in a
team, and you just start kicking around some
ideas.
Well, what are we known for?
What colors?
And we kind of just kick ideas back
and forth.
And we go, well, yeah, that's a good
(14:52):
idea.
I like that.
And yeah, the color's good, but maybe we
should add a person to this.
Maybe we should add this kind of shape
because that would symbolize this of what we
do.
And I think people would connect more with
that.
You understand what I'm doing?
So a virtual think tank, even though the
people are not in person, they're virtual.
(15:14):
And the benefits are very well received from
a virtual team because you don't have to
pick up and go somewhere.
You could just be on there with a
cup of coffee or tea or lunch, and
you could just be chatting with people.
Virtual think tanks have gotten extremely, extremely popular
(15:34):
right now.
Twenty-two, trade tasks with a peer.
So why would we want to do this?
So we want to trade tasks to the
peer because sometimes if we get a chance
to do what that other person does or
(15:54):
walk in their shoes, that's how we would
always say it, walk in that person's shoes
for a day or more, we'll start to
appreciate the things they do.
And then maybe we can actually change the
way something else would be presented because now
we understand more of how it works for
(16:15):
them.
When we start to get that glimpse of
that insight, it's like, oh, now I understand
why we do that, or now I understand
how we could do that better.
Number 23, map a personal innovation pipeline.
So what is that?
(16:36):
That's you.
You could take paper, you could take a
computer, and you're literally logically mapping out what
is your strategy, what's your implementation that you're
going to use.
And then you reference that point.
A good way to do this is with
index cards.
The reason I like index cards is because
maybe the strategy that you thought, the order
(16:59):
needs to change.
And so you can just use flashcards and
put them in certain orders.
And that can change.
And when you change something, well, that could
change the outcome.
I think those are pretty cool things.
But sometimes when we write them down, it's
like, oh, I don't want to do that
because, you know, I'd have to change it
or I have to rewrite all over again,
or it's a computer, or I'd have to
go back and edit it again.
And people are lazy.
So again, if you put things on index
(17:20):
cards, that's a great way to get people
to definitely understand.
Number 24, guys, document your process visually.
Similar to what I was saying before, but
the thing about documenting it is now you
know the order.
(17:41):
You can use pictures from a magazine.
You can use pictures from like a vizio.
You can use pictures online.
This is just for you to represent the
process.
So let me see if I can give
you an example.
Let's say that we are placing an order,
right?
So the first thing we might have is
(18:02):
how the order is going to come in.
So we'd have a picture of a telephone,
picture of a computer for the internet, or
a person, somebody coming in person, right?
So that's how they'd come, and then depending
on where they are, they would either do
something a little bit differently.
So if they were on the phone or
(18:23):
they were in person, they would talk to
another person, probably.
If they were online, they would talk to
a computer database.
The order would go into the computer.
If they were a live person there or
the phone, like, okay, how can I help
you?
I'd like to order a dozen.
I don't know.
I'd like to order a dozen.
(18:50):
What do I want to order a dozen
of?
I'd like to order a dozen cases of,
let's say, cat six-jacks.
A dozen cases of or I'd like to
order 48 feet of flex tubing.
(19:14):
I'd like to order a pack of relockable
ties.
So then what typically happens on the personal
end is they take the order and they
usually will, the person will either type it
in the computer, hear some clicking and typing,
and then after that, usually you'll hear him
(19:37):
say confirmed.
Okay, we got everything.
Great.
And then sometimes you might hear somebody say
order up or you'll get an email back
saying, you know, your order is in process,
right?
If it's in person or on the phone
or they're going to ship it to you
or there, you're going to go pick it
up.
If it's online, then what's going to happen
is you're going to, you may also get
(19:59):
an email there, but you'll get a different
kind of confirmation because now you're dealing with
a website, so it's a little bit different.
So that's how the process works.
We have the picture of the people, right?
And then we have, like I said, the
telephone, the computer and the person, and then
a line may be drawn to where it's
going.
So for example, if it's a phone call,
(20:20):
we could go to another person, like somebody
in customer service.
If it's a computer, maybe it's going to
go to a picture of an e-commerce
store.
If it's a phone call, it's just maybe
it's going to go to a person as
well.
After that, the order is then going to
get entered into.
So it's actually still going to go to
(20:41):
a computer, but it's like the computer's there,
but now it's like the computer just saves
a step.
Otherwise, the person has to go through one
step.
So then that gets done.
And then once that gets done, that other
steps get done, and then the order gets
put in, then everything just goes through as
if it was just like an e-commerce
order, but the only difference is it gets
picked as if you're there.
So those are some cool things about how
that works.
(21:01):
Number 25, pitch an idea to a skeptic.
This is not easy.
And the reason you want to do this
is it helps you to build your resilience.
Regardless of the person saying yes or no
to your idea, it helps you build your
resilience of what you can do.
Number 26, revisit a passion project.
(21:23):
Maybe there was something that got shoved up
on a shelf for a long time.
You're like, I don't know what to do
with this.
I have no idea.
So when your passion starts to flare, you
want to get back and do the project
again.
Number 27, collect weekly inspiration moments.
You could put an inspirational jar in your
office or your home, and you can have
(21:45):
people just write little positive inspirations.
I know one place that I went to
the library, they said give an inspiration, take
an inspiration.
And I thought that was really cool that
you could take one and give one.
And a lot of times we think these
things are corny, but these are the things
that get us to raise our dopamine level
(22:07):
in our body.
And I think those are pretty cool things.
Number 28, learn a new creative tool each
month.
That could be anything from a process you're
working on, that could be a new language,
could be a lot of different things.
(22:27):
New sales tactic, a new listening technique, a
new way of organizing your ideas, like the
flow charts we talked about here today.
Number 29, challenge a friend to a creative
duel.
Now, you're not doing this to be nasty
to him or her.
You're doing this to create some insight, to
get them to think, to get you to
(22:48):
think.
We call it devil's advocate.
So if everybody just agreed with everything you
said, right, that'd be great.
But then there are going to be people
that are not going to agree with you.
So by you being devil's advocate, now you're
ready for the person that says, oh, well,
you know, that's too much money.
And then you can come back and say
something now that you're prepared.
I understand where you're coming from.
(23:08):
And I thought the same thing when I
first heard about the product.
And then when I had a chance to
look at it and actually play with it
and see that it actually, once I was
learning more about it, that it actually saved
me almost a hundred percent of the expense
within, I'm going to say three months.
(23:29):
So those are the kind of ideas that
happen.
And as we get to adopt to them,
then we start to appreciate things like how
things are done or how things are not.
I think those are important things to understand.
Number 30 guys, number 30 post work in
progress publicly.
(23:49):
So why do you do this?
You do this to let people know that
the job is not complete, but this is
the status of it.
Like, you know, we are currently digging the
pool a hole, or we are currently waiting
for our inspection, or we are currently finishing
up the electrical work, or we're currently finishing
(24:11):
up the plumbing work, or we're currently awaiting
our inspection, or we are done with all
of our rough plumbing and electrical and we're
waiting for the tile to arrive.
Whatever it is, maybe it's a sales process.
Okay.
So we are already in the process of
(24:32):
gathering our perspectives and now we're going to
go ahead and send the first touch campaign,
which is an email.
Then we're going to make a phone call.
So we can make this, we say publicly,
publicly doesn't necessarily mean the people outside of
organization.
It could be depending on what the project
is, but it could also be internally.
So people inside the project understand what the
(24:53):
project is and where it's going.
I think communication becomes really important regardless of
what you're doing.
But the communication allows people to realize that
progress is being made.
I think that's a really important one.
So digital productivity and life hacks.
(25:13):
And I think that's important guys, you know,
customizing your workspace for flow, you know, shortcutting
frequent tasks, automating one repetitive job, using voice
commands, like do not disturb, focus window sessions,
like the Pomodoro sessions, weekly cleanup of your
(25:35):
desktop, try split screens.
I think you'll find that it'll be very
productive for you.
Use sticky notes for urgent messages.
Color code your calendar.
This is a great way to track things.
Track and optimize screen time.
Batch, notify of different things that are coming
up.
Use cloud docs.
If you want, try new productivity apps.
(25:56):
As I said, monthly.
Set timers for your mundane tasks.
And unsubscribe from useless emails.
Create keyboard shortcuts.
One click data backup.
Use dark mode.
Two-minute morning setup ritual, which is great
to do.
Maybe it's a thank you, a gratitude routine.
(26:19):
Organize bookmarks by project.
Auto respond when off duty by using auto
responders.
Chargers at every workstation can save time and
effort, right?
Keep you more productive.
Not in the search for, you know, where's
the charger or the fact that, you know,
my phone could be dead or whatever because
(26:40):
now I can't find one.
Social media blackout zones.
When are those?
Maybe you have certain times when there are
blackout times.
Stay paperless when possible.
Tame notification chaos because it can get kind
of unruly in the digital world.
Use voice to text, realizing that it may
(27:01):
not be perfect.
Keep a digital vision board.
Default to mute on calls.
Tag files for easy retrieval.
And lastly, end each workday with logout and
reflection.
Which number are you starting with today?
I know there's so many here to think
about.
I hope you guys got some really cool
(27:23):
insights tonight and knowing that our creativity doesn't
have to be in the digital world.
It can later be, let's say, refined in
the digital world, but we can start it
in, let's say, the non-digital world.
I think that's a pretty powerful thing.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am John C.
Morley, serial entrepreneur.
It is always such a privilege and pleasure
(27:43):
and honor to be with you here on
the Inspirations for Your Life show.
I hope that you've all had a very
happy, healthy, safe, relaxing, enjoyable Thanksgiving with your
friends and family.
And I hope that you had a moment
to give gratitude for many things you're thankful
for.
Have a good one.
I'm definitely thankful for you.
Be well, everyone.
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