Innovation Article by Jeff Havens

How Our Best Ideas Come To Us

Everyone everywhere is interested in innovation.  Of the various keynote addresses that I’ve created over the years, my Uncrapify Your Future! keynote on innovation is easily the most popular.  And I understand why.  Coming up with solutions to problems, or taking advantage of possible opportunities, is one of the key drivers of success, both professionally…

overcoming impostor syndrome

Overcoming Impostor Syndrome

Impostor syndrome is one of the most insidious challenges to our mental well-being.  In case you aren’t familiar with the phrase (although I’m guessing you are), impostor syndrome is a fairly common phenomenon in which individuals doubt their abilities and/or feel like they don’t deserve their accomplishments.  Put another way, you think you’re in over…

What You Can Learn From a Pig Farmer

What You Can Learn from Pig Farmers and Pharmacies

One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about my job is the opportunity to meet people living in places I would otherwise probably never go, doing things I know almost nothing about.  It’s given me a chance to see a much broader cross-section of the world than I think most jobs allow for, and my…

Setting and Changing Goals

Why We Sometimes Give Up On Our Goals (And Why That’s OK)

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an astronaut.  I also wanted to be a builder (which was my Lego-inspired term for ‘construction worker’), and I also wanted to dig up dinosaurs. I have done none of those things, and it’s perfectly OK.  I chose a different path, and I’m happy with it. …

positive thinking jeff havens

Reimagining the Power of Positive Thinking

Everybody’s heard of the power of positive thinking – and if you’re like me, then the phrase is vaguely annoying.  “So I’m just supposed to think happy thoughts and everything will magically work out?”  That’s kind of how it’s presented, but life doesn’t exactly work that way.  For example, I once had a happy thought…

return to normal

How to Transition Back to “Normal”

It’s finally happening.  After over a year of living with some quite unexpected and unprecedented constraints, the world is finally, slowly opening back up.  Whether we return to a fully open state tomorrow or several months from now – and also regardless of whether you think it should have happened yesterday or should be put…