Inspirational Awakening

People often want change merely for the sake of change, whether they are changes for the better or not. The human animal is easily bored. Furthermore, change is necessary for those in business, as it is the best aid to replacement and profit.

We have also been made aware by many books that obsolescence is built into much merchandise to make it wear out long before its time. Or new styles are introduced so different from the current ones that one must abandon useful articles to keep pace. Much of this is of course highly objectionable.

We find that many good ideas are abandoned for the sake of change, such as the elimination of pockets in women's clothes, or the use of small purses instead of spacious ones, stiff collars instead of comfortable ones and so on.

On the other hand, an improvement by its very nature implies change too. So whenever you want an idea, consider all the facts and factors involved in your product or your subject, and see what aspects you can change. Some of the possible changes will doubtless seem foolish at first, but you may be able to find a justification for them later on that would permit you to use them. In any case there is nothing to lose in noting down whatever you think of, even if it seems far- fetched.

There are, of course, many kinds of rearrangement. One may use different sizes, different shapes, different materials or colors; or the same for different purposes; or in a different position, and so on ad infinitum.

The idea of interchangeable parts was first used by Eli Whitney in stepping up production for weapons for the War of 1812. Many years later Ford adopted it as part of his assembly line production method. The idea had many other applications, even down to basic dresses which can be used for different occasions simply by the use of other accessories.

You can imagine the familiar thing in almost any new position. Transposition from one place to another gave us the idea of serving meals not in homes but in restaurants. The same process of transposing gives us all sorts of outside services formerly done at home-laundries, hospitals, garment centers, schools and so on.

Which factors from one kind of service overlapping your own, can be applied to yours? A sunroom has a glass roof. In New York, some taxicabs have glass roofs to enable the passenger to look up and see the tall buildings-same idea, different purpose. Bathing caps for the swimmer are transferred to raincoat outfits. An ocean-going luxury liner supplies much more than mere passage. It draws for ideas upon restaurants, hotels, the entertainment field. Any large business can be analyzed for such overlapping of interests and can use them for idea sources.

A writer of articles may find in one magazine or trade journal possibilities for similar articles for another field. How a laundry found new customers may suggest that every business is looking for new customers. The fundamental principles do not vary much, and can be adapted to how other small business may find new customers.

Change is the secret for getting ideas. And since change is everywhere, simply keep your eyes open throughout your daily life, and at any moment a spark of inspiration will give you what you need to continue with your idea.

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