Albert Einstein said, “You can’t solve a problem on the same level that it was created. You have to rise above it to the next level.”

Innovators are always seeking how to rise above their limitations and solve problems. In fact, creative people get a rise out of figuring out how to get things done. When others are drained by the taxing process of figuring things out innovators are energized by it. They simply don’t give up until they find a way. You can always tell if someone has an innovative spirit by how dedicated they are to solving problems. I have found that people who tend to give up quickly have not developed their ability to be creative yet. Commitment is a sign of innovation.

Innovators have 3 things in common that help them rise above their limitations…

1. They Seek Out Other Innovators

Creative people are drawn to other creative people. They intentionally seek out those who are better and further along than they are themselves. They love to collaborate. One of the greatest assets that innovators have is that they are driven to find people who are good at what they do and learn from them. They go the extra mile to surround themselves with experts. I coach many clients who take up to 2 weeks a year just to visit with other people in their profession and learn from them by observing them. Because of their dedication to their craft, they are becoming more and more successful.

2. They Stay With Problems Longer

Albert Einstein said, “It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” Innovators don’t give up…they stay with the issue. They have an ability to focus in on the problems and future out the limiting factors. No matter what area of life they are dealing with they find out what is holding back progress and address it. This works for any area. Just take something you are struggling with and start asking yourself why aren’t you getting it done? Only after you have identified the limiting factors can you then figure out a strategy to overcome them. Stay with the issue until you see it clearly.

3. They Stand On Faith

Innovators believe in themselves and they believe in what they do. Their faith is strong for the future. The more faith they have in the future the more power they wield in the present. Creative people believe there is always a way. They don’t take excuses as an option to quit, they are driven by the answer. They understand that there is always a way for everything to work out somehow, someway, somewhere, sometime. If you are not driven by faith that you can overcome you’ll tap out too early before the breakthrough happens. Don’t be like the explorers who died of dehydration in the dessert after they stopped digging for water at 2 feet when the well was 3 feet underground.