“There are no original ideas. There are only original people.” – Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

A couple of weeks ago, I met with a passionate entrepreneur who pitched me an idea that he was working on for the past couple of months. He was in the “feedback” stage of his idea, which is when entrepreneurs tell everyone they know about their idea to hone down their pitch, and gather feedback to fill holes in their idea. As we talked about his idea, it resembled another idea that was already launched, which I briefly mentioned. Surprisingly, his enthusiasm went from being extremely excited to utterly disappointed within a couple of seconds. He couldn’t believe that another company was executing something similar to his idea.

At this stage, most entrepreneurs will dismiss their idea because they believe “it’s not original or innovative” enough if someone else is doing it. Most entrepreneurs fall into the trap of killing off their ideas way too early before exploring all of the possibilities that can lead to true innovation.

In poker, there are simple rules you can follow to put yourself ahead of 90% of other poker players. One of my favorite rules revolves around removing any attachment to the value of poker chips. When playing poker, the chips in front of you have absolutely no value, they’re just a medium for you to win chips from other poker players. Most players don’t play their A-game because they’re trying to “make the money” and don’t want to risk losing all their chips (which they end up losing anyways).

Last weekend, Rafe Furst told me a story about Dewey Tomko who is an amateur golfer and professional poker player. Dewey has issued a $1M challenge to any golf pro to a round of golf, which he usually wins for two main reasons. First, none of the professional golfers are used to betting $1M of their own money, so they succumb to the pressure of hitting clutch shots (they are too attached to the amount of money on the line). Secondly, Dewey doesn’t think about the $1M stakes as he’s become immune to attaching himself to the value of chips or bets. Framing the way you play poker with this simple rule can increase your odds of being successful.

I’ve followed a similar rule to frame creativity and innovation: For every idea you come up with, there are probably ten other people in the world executing that same idea.

Once you just embrace this rule, you won’t worry too much about what other people are doing. Just think of it as part of the process of being an entrepreneur. Look at Coke & Pepsi, which are almost identical products but both billion dollar companies. There’s no such thing as original ideas, only original people. Don’t fall into the trap of killing your idea off too early because it can change, morph, and turn into something truly amazing.

I’m a huge fan of Jonathan Harris.  He’s the creative genius behind We Feel Fine, Sputnik Observatory, and The Whale Hunt among many other projects.  His interview on 99% and talk on TED are my favorites.  And his vignettes about World Building in a Crazy World will blow your mind.

Everyday he has been posting one photo a day beginning on his 30th birthday.  I’ve been reading them religiously everyday and one of my favorites includes the one he wrote on December 17, 2009.

I have been wanting to read some Faulkner, so I visited the Smith Family bookstore in Eugene. I asked the clerk if they had just received a big shipment, but she said that no, that is always how it looks in there. This confirmed my intuition that there are many books.

I would like it if somebody worth emulating would give me a list of the 100 books that I need to read, in order to push and poke at my stiff sense of self until I am larger and more dynamic, expanded like a rubber balloon in 100 directions by 100 well-expressed world views.

With such a list, I would have no problem with a computerless cabin-bound existence, and I would never venture back to the swampland of the Smith Family bookstore, nor any other wetland like it, trudging through printed sprawl to look for pearls.

For the past month, I’ve wanted to write an article on “book swaps” — essentially publishing all of the books I’ve read on my blog, and encouraging anyone to swap books with me.  Instead, I’d like to compile “a list of 100 books that have changed your life.” These can be anything ranging from business to fiction.  If it’s worth reading, please leave them in the comment section below.  I’ve started the list by listing out a couple of books that have changed my life…

1. The Republic of Tea: Letters to a Young Zentrepreneur
2. The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
3. Life Inc: How the World Become a Corporation and How to Take it Back by Douglas Rushkoff
4. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
5. 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

My goal is to eventually read through every book on this list in my lifetime.  And share this list with others.  I’d also love to start a book swap so please let me know if you’d like to trade any books as well!

After watching Notorious last weekend, I got inspired to make a mixtape for the “Greatest Rapper of All Time” – Notorious B.I.G aka the Black Frank White aka Biggie Smalls aka Christopher Wallace.  Maybe I’ll make a mixtape bi-monthly?  Tracklist below and download by visiting http://www.zshare.net/download/5436936198bcacef/

Speaking of Biggie, does anyone want to hit up the Frank White Cafe in Brooklyn?

The legendary rapper Notorious B.I.G. took on the alias Frank White after the mob boss played by Christopher Walken in Abel Ferrara’s film, King of New York. Frank White is located at St. James and Atlantic in Brooklyn, the block where Notorious B.I.G. (considered the rap King of New York) was born and raised. Naming the café Frank White was in honor to his legacy as an artist that came from the neighborhood.

Place looks dope.  Rather than having small, medium, and large; they have Lil Kim, Diddy, and Biggie.  Awesome!

The “Biggie” Apple – Mixed by MK

1. Nas – N.Y. State of Mind
2. Jay-Z – Dead Presidents
3. Notorious B.I.G. featuring Method Man – The What
4. Craig Mack featuring Notorious B.I.G. – Flava In Your Ear Remix
5. Notorious B.I.G. – Kick in the Door
6. Jay-Z featuring Notorious B.I.G. – Brooklyn’s Finest
7. Notorious B.I.G. – Party & Bullshit
8. Notorious B.I.G. – Everyday Struggle
9. Notorious B.I.G. featuring 112 – Sky’s the Limit
10. Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy

Here’s my list of conferences I would like to attend (ordered by date):

TED Conference
February 27 – March 1, 2008
Monterey, California
$6,000 but invite-only
1000 attendees

“An annual conference in Monterey devoted to Technology, Entertainment and Design. Brings together 1000 of the world’s most remarkable people. The format is fast-paced, with 50+ speakers over four days (plus short talks, performances and evening events). In 2005, an additional conference, TEDGlobal, was inaugurated. It’s held every other year, in a different location, focusing on a different theme.”

PSFK Conference
March 27, 2008
New York, NY

GEL
April 24 – 28, 2008
New York, NY
$1,200
400 attendees

“Gel (“Good Experience Live”) is a conference and community exploring good experience in all its forms — in business, art, society, technology, and life.”

D Conference
May 27 – 29, 2008
Carlsbad, California
$4,495

“Since its debut in 2003, The Wall Street Journal’s D: All Things Digital conference has brought to life the energy and excitement of the digital revolution in an unscripted, upfront and unparalleled way.

Conference creators and executive producers Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher put the industry’s top players to the test during informal but pointed conversations about the impact digital technology will have on our lives now and in the future. The results are critical insights and relevant advice that stay with you well after the conference ends.”

Sustainable Brands Conference
June 2-5, 2008
Monterey, California
$2,295

“The global move toward innovation for sustainability is alive and well, and leading companies big and small are capitalizing on this new opportunity to build sales and brand equity.  How can you join their ranks? Come find out at Sustainable Brands ’08—your number one, highest value opportunity to learn how to translate a commitment to sustainability into revenue growth, improved customer and employee retention, and new brand value.”

ideaCity
June 18 – 20, 2008
Toronto, Canada
$2,750 – $3,500+

“ideaCity, also known as ‘Canada’s Premiere Meeting of the Minds’, is an eclectic gathering of artists, adventurers, authors, cosmologists, doctors, designers, entertainers, filmmakers, inventors, magicians, musicians, scientists and technologists.

Fifty of the planet’s brightest minds converge on Toronto each June to speak to a highly engaged audience. Only 497 are privileged to attend.”

Cusp Conference
Chicago
September 10-11, 2008
$1,750

Interesting New York
New York City
September 13, 2009
$35

Picnic
September 24 – 26, 2008
Amsterdam

“PICNIC brings together and disseminates the ideas and knowledge of the world’s best creators and innovators, through a top-class conference, a broad selection of seminars, a series of hands-on workshops and many many other events.”

Idea Festival
September 25 – 27, 2008
Louisville, Kentucky

“Founded in 2000, the IdeaFestival (IF) is a world-class event that attracts leading and highly diverse thinkers from across the nation and around the globe to explore and celebrate innovation, imagination and cutting-edge ideas.

The IdeaFestival is a unique non-linear program designed to stretch people’s horizon’s and promote breakthrough thinking… utilizing multiple venues to showcase, discuss and “connect” important ideas in science, the arts, design, business, film, technology, education, etc.”

The Feast: Creativity for Good
New York City
October 16
$395

“On October 16th in New York City, alldaybuffet and our closest friends are coming to dinner. “The Feast” will gather 150 of the world’s leading creative mavericks, entrepreneurs, revolutionaries, radicals, and innovators together to inspire action to change the world.

Our mothers always told us “there’s good in everything” so we’ve curated a series of inspiring, mind-expanding, and innovative talks that will showcase a look at social innovation from all angles. From design to business to science, and everything between, our speakers will share insights on the power of creativity to propel social change within and across industries.

Anchored in innovative ideas with a focus on action, The Feast will take a cross-disciplinary look at executions, strategies and concepts – digital answers to global problems, social design solutions and successful triple-bottom line business models. And more than just watching, The Feast will connect this remarkable network through “matchmaking” networking breaks, group projects, and one legendary after-party! Our hope is to leave you high on possibilities with a new menu of connections to get it all done.”

Business Innovation Factory
October 15-16, 2008
Providence, Rhode Island

“More conversation than conference, BIF-4 will bring together many oftoday’s most compelling innovators, business model renegades and truetransformers to reveal the secrets of innovation success throughpersonal storytelling.”

Pop!Tech
October 22-25, 2008
Camden, Maine
$3,500
600 attendees

“For the twelfth year, the Pop!Tech Conference will again convene a network of 600 remarkable thinkers, doers, leaders and global change agents in science, technology, social innovation, business, environmentalism, globalization, media, education, and many other fields for a four-day exploration of ideas shaping the future.”

Opportunity Green
November 8-9
Los Angeles, California

“Opportunity Green is a convergence of the prime movers & shakers and the up & coming innovators driving today’s green economy.”

EG ’08 Conference
December 11-13 2008
Monterey, California
$4,000

“This is the conference for the most influential and creative minds in the world.”

Check out the first Behance article I wrote with Scott Belsky (founder of Behance). After sitting in brainstorming sessions for the past couple of years that led to nowhere, we developed some keen insights that should help you “think inside a new box.”

“Whenever we generate ideas, we’re always told to ‘think outside the box.’ We’ve been trained to play the ‘numbers’ game in the creative process, to populate the wall with as many ideas as possible until one sticks. This process, if done incorrectly, can yield frustrating meetings that run in circles. Sometimes these wayward brainstorms can cast you far from a viable solution. Over the past couple of years, our team has come to recognize some necessary constraints that help generate new and fresh ideas.”

And if you really like the article, digg it or click the appreciate button at the bottom. Thanks!

And his most recent project? Ping Pong paddles. His nice little brand is called WAR (Wood and Rubber)

Lucky for me, I’m order #3.   That means I will dominate anyone in Ping Pong because each paddle consists of a balsa core, birch plywood frame and face, and a canary wood anatomic handle featuring cherry dowels.  What does that mean? I have no idea but I’m sure it means it’ll be crazy awesome.  He even goes into detail of how he makes each one.  If you want one, shoot him an email or check out woodandrubber.com which should be launching very soon!

“It becomes nearly impossible to look beyond what you know and think outside the box you’ve built around yourself.”To innovate, Mr. Heath says, you have to bring together people with a variety of skills. If those people can’t communicate clearly with one another, innovation gets bogged down in the abstract language of specialization and expertise. “It’s kind of like the ugly American tourist trying to get across an idea in another country by speaking English slowly and more loudly,” he says. “You’ve got to find the common connections.”

When experts have to slow down and go back to basics to bring an outsider up to speed, she says, “it forces them to look at their world differently and, as a result, they come up with new solutions to old problems.”

This is another argument of why we need to collaborate. With technology the way it is and the increasing demand of innovation, we can’t focus on creating breakthrough ideas within the confines of our own company. In fact, we don’t even have to rely on people with x amount of years within our industry. Some would argue that you can still get innovative ideas from people that know absolutely nothing about your brand, product or customers.

One way to incorporate this into your own company is to compile a network of outside thinkers that you can call upon whenever you need to do an innovation session or workshop.

“In a culture that prizes risk and outsize reward — where professional heroes are college dropouts with billion-dollar Web sites — some doctors and lawyers feel they have slipped a notch in social status, drifting toward the safe-and-staid realm of dentists and accountants. It’s not just because the professions have changed, but also because the standards of what makes a prestigious career have changed.

This decline, Mr. Florida argued, is rooted in a broader shift in definitions of success, essentially, a realignment of the pillars. Especially among young people, professional status is now inextricably linked to ideas of flexibility and creativity, concepts alien to seemingly everyone but art students even a generation ago.

“Students are focusing now on starring in their own creations, their own start-up businesses, said Trudy Steinfeld, the executive director of the Wasserman Center for Career Development at New York University.

“There’s a sexiness to starting something cool,” she said. “Now we have people trying to start a Facebook or a MySpace. You might be working like a maniac, but it’s going to pay off in status. You’re going to be famous, providing something people are going to know and use all over the world.”

With books such as A Whole New Mind by Dan Pink where he states that “the future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind. The era of “left brain” dominance, and the Information Age that it engendered, are giving way to a new world in which “right brain” qualities-inventiveness, empathy, meaning-predominate.” No longer will analytical jobs such as accountants be respected or valued but the creative, innovative, entrepreneurial jobs will be respected. It’s because we’re moving into the conceptual age. And now it looks like the law and medicine professions or moving down a notch as well.

So what does that mean?

We’re about to see an explosion of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship. I think we’re on the brink of an Innovation Movement that will change the business culture.