If you are anything like me, the above statements have you heading towards the nearest liquor cabinet to mix yourself a Whiskey Old Fashioned Sweet (For those of you that are not from Wisconsin:http://ediblemilwaukee.com/mke-mixology/wisconsins-unofficial-state-cocktail/). Often times, we see this type of thinking daily and it can hit you from all angles within your daily life -- your boss, a colleague, family members, friends, etc. Unfortunately, these non-innovative mindsets are WAY too common in today's workplace where we often see the most innovative and industry disrupting companies thrive.

Even though a couple of Wisconsin Old Fashioned here and there might temporarily resolve a headache that these types of statements create, it is definitely not a permanent solution (Drink Responsibly!) -- so what can we do as Innovative minds during these situations? Personally, I use non-innovative and narrow-minded statements as motivation to fuel innovation and drive results! To do this, I utilize the following 3 guidelines as much as possible:

Being the extremely competitive person that I am, I see these types of statements as challenges (even though they may not necessarily be presented as such). Viewing it as a challenge helps keep me focused and dedicated to finding a way to create a simple and focused solution. Make note of exactly what functionality you are being told "Won't work" or "Can't be done", and begin designing accordingly. I find that the best way to show that it CAN be done is to create a POC that shows the basic concepts of your innovative idea and present the proposed solution to the team. BE AWARE -- during the presentation, you will receive critical feedback from the same negative individuals that challenged innovation in the first place. This is all part of being innovative, push on, reassure them that this is a POC, and continue!

Once your POC has been viewed and it is agreed upon that your solution looks like it may actually be feasible (Victory #1), we then need to be able to deliver the full solution. It is actually fairly common for innovative minded individuals to get things through the POC stage and fail when it comes time to deliver. Remember, delivery is part of the innovation mindset and being able to deliver your full solution not only gives you credibility the next time these negative statements arise, but it also means you have officially won your challenge (Victory #2) -- time to celebrate!

To be honest, this is one of the hardest things for me to do based on my above statement regarding my competitive nature. Naturally, when these statements come up, I want to challenge the individual making them at that exact point in time. This can be quite detrimental as that individual could be your boss, a colleague, or someone else that has the capacity to make your daily life a living hell. Better to stay calm, notate, and innovate!!!

Failure, frustration, and downright anger are all part of the innovation process. As you work through any roadblocks or any naysayers, continue to believe in yourself and your talents. Continue to strive to innovate and most importantly do NOT let them get in the way of your continued innovation. Being the outlier (as Innovative minds often are) is not easy, but remember that "HALF of achieving ANY goal in life is knowing what you have to give up in order to get it". Give up on the idea that giving in will be easier! Give up on believing that "you can't" or the solution is "beyond your skillset"! Believe in yourself, believe in your talents, never give up and INNOVATE!