Treat Life As an Experiment

Tom Kelley, IDEO

Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t. Just ask Thomas Edison, the makers of WD-40, and vacuum guru James Dyson – who collectively tested thousands of ideas before finding a handful that stuck. But the point behind the practice of experimentation in innovative thinking, says IDEO General Manager Tom Kelley. Take risks frequently, and be prepared in case the resulting action fails to meet your expectations. Fail forward, and there will be learning from your mistakes along the way.