Thomas Edison didn’t become one of the Man of the Millennium without using a few important techniques for success. Over the years, he influenced his workers and America with the example he set and the ideals that he preached. In fact, his words are still helpful in today’s world and economy. Practice the essence of Edison’s philosophy for innovation by keeping these four basic concepts in mind.

1.   Think outside of the box

Make believe there is no box or envelope hemming you in. Smash the boundaries of thinking, soar above them and boldly dream of what can be. Understand the markets for your new ideas. Don’t let artificial boundaries define what you can do. Be unconventional and surprise the competition.

2.   Be entrepreneurial and educated take risks

Taking a risk is very different than dealing with uncertainty. Make sure you understand what and where areas of risk present themselves; and that is where you do some technological due diligence to reduce those risks [i.e. R&D]. Gamble intelligently when you know the facts.

3.   Fail your way to success

It is how the world really works. Very few things leap from anyone’s mind perfectly formed and working well. Failure is an essential part of the growth of any new product. The key to success is to learn and improve from your failure, thus, fail intelligently.

4.   Success demands improvement

New products are like children, which always can be improved upon. The market will demand your product stand the test of time and evolve; and that will separate your efforts from the fly-by-night folks out there. You strive to improve yourself, so why not what your create as well?Consult with your Muckers, or peers, to get ideas and another set of eyes on your work!