Toddler standing in front of a large staircase

Taking a chance on something new

08/20/2020

The current situation has made us more sensitive. We have had enough of the status quo and want things to move forward and new things to happen. But at the same time, we are afraid of change.

Never before has the desire for individuality been greater than today, in this age of digital self-expression. This brings us to a point where the old no longer fits. Suddenly, habits become stale, routines and rituals too restrictive. The desire for change, the opportunity for development. But where does this impulse come from? From within ourselves or from nowhere? Is the new really the right way forward and a form of liberation, or is it a social imperative and a sign of technological progress? Staying up to date and reinventing ourselves are the slogans of our time, whose constant change forces us to adapt. So let's seize the opportunity and take a step into the unknown to find what is not yet there!

Better to play it safe

We stick with the things we know. We don't stray. That's what we're told and what we see around us.

The internet suggests we buy things that are similar to what we've already bought. Things that people like us have bought. When we listen to music on platforms, we're also suggested music that is similar to what's in our playlists. Anything new that is different from the norm, that takes us out of our comfort zone, is excluded. Algorithms, a marketing strategy that automatically decides what we see and what we don't. Whether it's the order of results in search engines, dating suggestions, or product recommendations. This makes it harder for us to discover new topics and prevents us from hearing opposing views. Why is one right and the other wrong? Isn't the unknown an opportunity for improvement?

Take a chance and act

On closer inspection, even everyday life is a sequence of situations in which we have to play a predetermined role convincingly. But is it really a predetermined action, or do we just interpret it that way so as not to take any risks? Isn't it precisely the search for more intensity that gives our lives excitement? So let's become stubborn and creative, simply and poignantly different. Let's accept that we are allowed to fail in order to improve! Humans are creatures of habit, but they are also actors. They have the ability to set goals and do things differently. Unlike animals, we do not follow our instincts and have a choice. We were all new to this world once, and so we carry the spirit of new beginnings deep within us.

Recognizing opportunities

Times of crisis are opportunities for change, even a loud cry for change. Global phenomena such as migration, the consequences of digitalization, and the current coronavirus pandemic also offer opportunities for positive change. The crisis itself must be managed with care, but its potential must also be recognized and exploited in order to emerge stronger as individuals and as a company.

With courage to succeed

Existence. It means starting and developing. This is how a newborn learns to walk despite countless failed attempts; through courage, perseverance, and acceptance of failure. Change also requires these basic building blocks. Even if it seems frightening and unpleasant, it significantly increases the possibility of sustainable success for innovations.

Innovations are mature ideas, but they are visions, not rigid plans. External influences stimulate improvement, so it is not only necessary to learn, but also to unlearn. Creations that lead to innovation are not always completely new ideas, but also existing elements from which something new is created. A new creation that impresses and is unlike anything else arouses curiosity. This is the key to success: learn from failure and remain curious. Question things and listen to the answers. Creativity needs space and time to find new solutions and innovations, even if they are only small steps.

Prerequisite for individuality

In order to create innovations and develop, something has to change. That does not mean that everything has to change. After all, if everything and everyone is constantly changing, doesn't that mean that everyone is the same? So be individual and dare to follow your own desires and wishes. However, you should first ask yourself what image you have of yourself and how you want to appear. These characteristics form our identity. Courage and individuality should therefore open up opportunities for development. Instead of sticking to our habits, we should change something and thus create new innovations. Shouldn't a company or brand ask itself the same questions? Who do we want to be and how do we appear to the outside world? After all, an identity is not just a name, but the essence, and this is the prerequisite for individuality.

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