The many mothers of invention

Ideas can come from anywhere

Necessity has no matriarchal monopoly on invention.

In fact almost any situation or sentiment can seed, gestate and give birth to bouncing baby ideas.

Here are some of my favourite conceptual child bearers.

Hypothesis is the mother of invention.

‘What if…?’ The question mark itself provides answers. And Hypothesis, as Socrates hypothesised, leads us to great truth.

Curiosity is the mother of invention.

‘Why not…?’ How interesting it is to be interested and to connect your interests in new and interesting ways.

Opportunity is the mother of invention.

Find the problems, solve the problems. See the gaps, fill the gaps. They are there, they are everywhere, you’re just not looking hard enough for them.

Compassion is the mother of invention.

‘What should we do? What could we do?’ Looking outward at the world of others can inspire us to look inward for ways to improve lives. Invention can save the world. In fact it’s the only way to save it.

Survival is the mother of invention.

Ask any Taoist and they’ll tell you that change is the only constant. When you know that, you can be always ready to evolve and adapt.

Prevention is the mother of invention.

Beat someone to it. First mover advantage means someone else can take second mover advantage. So be like S Club 7 and don’t stop movin’.

Catastrophe is the mother of invention.

We’ve all experienced it. The fly in the ointment. The spanner in the works. The monkey in the wrench. When change hits, it hits fast, and you have to respond fast. Quick thinking can be the best thinking.

Conversation is the mother of invention.

Whether it’s the voice in your head or the voice of another, language is like abstract, verbal mathematics. One plus one quite often makes three.

Dissatisfaction is the mother of invention.

How many times have you said “Someone should…?” Well, that someone is you. So don’t get mad, get inventing.

Boredom is the mother of invention.

Life can be repetitious. When everything feels the same, do something different. Replace the same old same old with the different new different new.

Frustration is the mother of invention.

If it doesn’t work the way you want it to work, then reinvent it. Shaw said “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” So be an unreasonable man, or woman.

Necessity is the mother of invention.

Despite having perhaps the greatest number of offspring, she shows no signs of losing her fertility. Whether we need a job done or we need to create value for ourselves, the genesis of success begins with an idea.

Invention, like its many mothers is a great provider. And it is not without it’s own ability to reproduce…

Invention is the mother of disruption.

And as all inventors know, it’s better to be the disruptor than the disrupted.

If you have any to add, I’d love to hear them.