The Secret to New Ideas

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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.