BJ Biz Buzz News

In this issue of BJ Biz Buzz News, we're focusing on creativity and innovation. We hope you'll find some of the resources and ideas useful.

In business we are always looking for more creative ways to do things.

We need to come up with new ways to solve old problems, or new ideas to help us keep ahead of our competitors.

But it can be hard sometimes to kick start our brains in creative ways.

Day to day pressures and all the routine tasks of a business can leave us stuck in "same-old-same-old" patterns of thinking.

Albert Einstein once said: We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.

And it was also Einstein who said: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

So check out some of the articles and resources on innovation and creativity that we've collected for this issue of BJ Biz Buzz News.

Kick start your own creative thinking and get out of that insanity rut!

No. This is not an insult.

It’s the story of a toad.

This particular toad was caught up in a storm and found shelter by squeezing into a narrow opening of a rock crevice.

To the toad’s delight the crevice had all the creature comforts of home. The area was dry and had enough room for the toad to spread its little legs out. It even had its own food supply. Just like meals on wheels. All the toad had to do was flick its tongue out and zap. Another insect bites the dust.

It even had its own supply of running water. Droplets cascaded through the rocks and fell straight into its mouth.

The toad was in heaven.

As time went by the toad got fat. And fatter. And fatter.

It eventually become huge. It lost its slim toady figure and the toad could hardly move.

One day the toad got so bored it decided to slip out of the rock crevice and do a bit of sun baking. It tried to get out of the narrow opening and failed. It tried again and again without success.

The toad eventually gave up. It had become so big that it was impossible to escape. Its comfort zone had become a prison and eventually turned into a burial chamber.

The toad experienced what many small business owners experience. Getting stuck in a comfort zone. They become so comfortable that they stop making an effort. Like our toad their heaven turns into a prison and eventually a burial chamber.

So. Don’t be a toad.

Hop out of your comfort zone and thrive.

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. (Scott Adams)