Have you ever found yourself lost in your thoughts, daydreaming, or ideating without barriers? That's your creative imagination at work! Creative imagination is an incredible power within us—it can manifest our hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Unleashing the power of our creative imagination can be the key to realizing our personal and professional goals.

What is Creative Imagination?

Creative imagination is our ability to form mental images, concepts, and ideas that are unique and original. It is the source of our creativity, innovation, and imagination. Our creative imagination enables us to think outside the box and develop unconventional ideas, perspectives, and solutions.

It's a multidimensional process that involves both conscious and subconscious minds. It's a rich blend of our experiences, knowledge, intuition, and emotions. With creative imagination, we can visualize scenarios or solutions that don't yet exist, bridging the gap between the present and myriad possible futures.

Our creative imagination allows us to challenge conventions, break boundaries, and create new paradigms. It empowers us to perceive the world uniquely and interpret our experiences through fresh lenses. From creating a beautiful piece of art to pioneering a groundbreaking scientific theory, the power of creative imagination underlies all forms of human innovation and progress.

Each one of us possesses this power. However, like any other skill, it must be nurtured, cultivated, and practiced to reach its full potential.

How Does Creative Imagination Manifested?

“In a world of over 7 billion people, not a single person shares your unique creative imagination – that's your unmatchable superpower.”

Creative imagination manifests in many ways, including daydreaming, visualization, ideation, and creativity. It is the source of our inspiration, motivation, and passion. Creative imagination is also associated with our ability to create and innovate and our capacity to explore and develop new ways of thinking. We use our creative imagination in our personal and professional endeavors, such as:

1) Problem-solving:

Whether figuring out a complex business challenge at work or deciding the best route to navigate a traffic jam, our creative imagination fuels our problem-solving abilities. It allows us to visualize multiple scenarios and outcomes, helping us to choose the most effective strategies.

2) Art and Creativity:

This is the most apparent manifestation of creative imagination, evident in the works of artists, writers, and musicians. These individuals draw upon their creative imagination to conceive and express unique ideas, emotions, and perspectives.

3) Innovation:

Every groundbreaking invention or discovery in history has been the product of someone's creative imagination. From Thomas Edison's light bulb to Elon Musk's vision for SpaceX, these innovations were once mere thoughts in the minds of their creators.

4) Learning and Education:

Students use creative imagination to understand and remember complex concepts. For instance, a student of history might imagine themselves in a historical event to understand its nuances better.

5) Personal Development:

Creative imagination can guide us in our personal growth and self-improvement efforts. By visualizing our ideal selves, we can map out the steps needed to reach our goals.

So, whether we are conscious of it or not, we constantly use our creative imagination to shape our world and experiences with its power.

The Power of Creative Imagination

Creative imagination has immense power! It can transform our lives by enabling us to serendipitously ideate, create, and innovate. Harnessing the power of our creative imagination can inspire us to achieve our goals and realize our ambitions. We can visualize our perfect lives, careers, and relationships and use our creative imagination to manifest these into reality. Here are some key aspects that highlight its significance:

1) Realizing Possibilities:

Creative imagination empowers us to visualize endless possibilities and solutions beyond ‌our physical senses and immediate environment. It allows us to escape the constraints of the present moment, enabling us to travel in time and anticipate future outcomes. This ability to foresee potential scenarios aids in decision-making and strategizing, thus giving us an advantage in navigating life's challenges.

2) Driving Innovation:

The power of creative imagination is the cornerstone of all technological and societal advancements. It fuels the minds of scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs, enabling them to create products, services, and solutions that reshape our world. Without creative imagination, there would be no iPho...

Early in my career one man who had a huge impact on me, my mentor Bob Davis, told me to pay it forward. As Killer Innovations kicks off Season 15 this week, we reflect on what it has meant to pay it forward. Challenging and encouraging others toward impactful innovation has been my passion. Kym McNicholas joins me on the show as we look back at the Killer Innovations evolution from simple podcast to syndicated radio show.

Worth It

Having enjoyed success as a career innovator, I decided in 2005 it was time to pay it forward by inspiring impactful innovation on a larger scale. I owe much of my success to the people in my life who have mentored me and led me in the direction for success. As my way of giving back to my mentors, I chose to encourage others in innovation. Jumping back to Season 1, the feedback from listeners all over the world for Killer Innovations has motivated me to keep going. Having an impact on people through their innovation journey is the impetus. Along the way, I’ve developed lasting friendships with many long-time listeners worldwide.

Getting Started

As podcasting emerged in late 2004, I began experimenting with it. The critical piece of technology enabling podcasting, the enclosure tag, allowed for media distribution. By March 2005, I jumped in with my first Killer Innovations episode. It was a bit like the Wild West. I modeled myself after Earl Nightingale, a motivational speaker whose tapes and cassettes inspired me. With a laptop and a microphone, I began the podcast from a hotel. That was the start of it.

Making an Impact Then and Now

One eye-opening comment I received in the first year of the show has stuck with me. It was from an avid listener whose son, a young listener of nine years old, took the inspiration to heart. He started taking items apart in the home to “innovate” them. That boy is now 23 years old and I would love to hear from him. I hope he’s doing creative and innovative things.

Guests I’ve had an opportunity to talk to from across the country are doing impactful innovation. With the Mobile Studio, we’ve been stopping in small towns to find innovation in unexpected places. Guests in the past year from Fin Gourmet Foods are innovating in such unique ways on multiple levels. The workforce is one facet of that innovation – investing in the lives of people who need a second chance.

—KYM MCNICHOLAS

Fin Gourmet Foods is a great example of how innovation doesn’t have to be tech or happen in Silicon Valley. Helping people innovate their own lives is impactful innovation at its best.

Guests Who’ve Inspired Us

Guests are an integral part of the show. As they share their innovation experience and lessons learned, we gain some valuable lessons. One guest who has inspired us is Noah Scalin. His strategy to spark creativity is another great example of impactful innovation. An artist based in Richmond, VA, Noah faced a creative block. To re-ignite his creativity, he started the Skull-a-Day project.

Another guest who’s personally inspired me is Tom Fishburne. His on-point marketing themed cartoons show the power of creativity and influence. His impact on people through humor is amazing.

Evolution of Killer Innovations

From starting out in a hotel room to now rolling around in the Mobile Studio, Killer Innovations continues to grow and change. Kym recalls how she and I met – chasing the latest Tech at CES. Now the Mobile Studio, a fully equipped 44-foot custom bus, is my studio and office while on the road. In addition to the Mobile Studio, the show has gone from being fully funded by me to having sponsors. With the sponsorship, we are now able to pay it forward with ads for nonprofits such as Hacking...

Being connected has become an essential part of our daily lives. Wireless has made huge strides over the past two decades. IoT is connecting our world in ways we would have never imagined. With the growing demand for constant connectivity, one area that needs fine-tuning is battery life. All these devices we use throughout the day require battery power. Today’s guest saw this as the opportunity. David Su is CEO of Atmosic. His company is innovating battery life. Creating technologies to reduce battery usage, Atmosic develops solutions that keep things powered up.

Stanford to Startup

Much of David’s career has been in the wireless space. With a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford, David joined Atheros Communication in 1999 as its fifth employee. David continued with Atheros as it grew and went public. He stayed on when Qualcomm acquired Atheros. After some years, David felt his time at Qualcomm had run its course. He ventured into new areas. With four former work colleagues, he started a new company.

Atmosic’s Vision

In the wireless world, battery power can be a boon and a bane. Reliance on wireless means dependence on batteries for power. When batteries lose charge, things can come to a standstill. Limited battery life also means a lot of batteries get thrown out – to the tune of three billion per year. Two and a half years ago, David and fellow co-founders started Atmosic with this in mind. David, Masoud Zargari, David Nakahira, Srinivas Pattamatta, and Manolis Terrovitis brainstormed. They sought advice from experts in the field. Their vision began to coalesce – to keep connected devices powered with little to no battery usage.

—DAVID SU, CEO ATMOSIC

With the vision in place, Dave and his team went to work innovating battery life. They started with battery powered Bluetooth devices.

Solving Core Battery Problems

The advantages Autmosic’s technologies will offer:

• Lowest power usage without compromising quality.
• Turns device off when not in use with system level check that transmits only when needed.
• RF energy harvesting, enabling the battery to last forever.

Long-term vision:

• “Battery-free utopia” – ecosystem in enterprise applications.

Lessons Learned

What has David learned along the journey towards innovating battery life? David has some tips for people whether they’re starting a company or pursuing innovation.

• Interoperate – work with what is already known and improve it.
• Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and be willing to listen.
• Make sure what you are doing is what you truly believe in and are passionate about.
• Ground what you are doing in reality.

By innovating battery life, Atmosic is focusing on a problem that affects us all. Powering down to power up will keep us connected in a sustainable way.

To track what Atmosic is doing, visit www.atmosic.com. For the latest updates, check them out on Twitter and LinkedIn.

To hear the interview with the CEO of Atmosic David Su at #CES2019, listen to this week’s show: Innovating Battery Life: Powering Down to Power Up.

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The world of innovation is wildly fascinating and constantly developing. At the CES conference in Las Vegas, some of innovation's biggest names display their newest creations for the world to see. The fact that any one of these creations could develop into a groundbreaking innovation with global reach is exciting. This year, innovations varied from entertainment to transportation, with predicted tech trends affecting inventions in all these areas.

Standout Innovations

TVs and display screens constantly develop as companies seek to upgrade their products with bigger screens and clearer resolutions. Samsung and LG both announced their latest contributions with the potential for use in marketing for businesses and the entertainment industry.

Transparent Displays

LG's groundbreaking announcement of its transparent displays generated significant interest. There are various potential uses for transparent displays in many fields. One such use is marketing in businesses. Using a transparent display to advertise a product in a store-front window would allow customers to see a snapshot of the store's most eye-catching product while also being able to see beyond the store's advertisement into the store. Transparent displays can be used in unexpected situations, making them all the more unique.

Larger Screens

Screens on different devices have progressively gotten larger over the years. With a 180-inch screen displayed at the convention, it is hard to see how a large screen would be practical for viewing in the average house. However, companies are not just making displays for the intended purpose of watching movies or TV. A recent surge in the gaming industry has companies taking notes on improving their displays to target this audience better. The focus on size has shifted. Companies focus on improving color, size, and refresh rate so gamers can enjoy better posture, less eye strain, and better experiences.

Transportation

Innovations in transportation have evolved to heights that once seemed impossible. The idea of flying cars was a concept that seemed almost mythical for many years, but it is now something that could be obtainable soon. At CES, through a simulation, people could experience what it would feel like to be in a flying car. Bringing this experience to life infused it with an exciting outlook for the future of transportation.

Robotics

While robotics have found applications in various industries, from restaurants to factories, they have not yet become mainstream in households. Various companies have shown interest in robotics and have contributed to advances in that area. Work still needs to be done, but humanoid robots that can assist in households could be a sooner reality than we think.

Predicted Trends for 2024

With so many wonderful innovations on display this year, one can conclude three factors. The first is that every company appeared to use some form of AI. AI isn't as exclusive as it once was, so companies using AI must find other ways to differentiate themselves from each other. One such way that companies using AI can stand out is by investing in quality training data that is specific to their use cases. As AI becomes mainstream, companies must find ways to stay ahead of the competition and remain relevant.

The second trend is on most people's minds, from consumers to producers. The state of the economy has people worrying about employment and whether they will have funds to afford housing, food, and other necessities. Companies worry about whether consumers will be spending and willing to buy their newest products. This can be concerning for innovators as finding funding during uncertain times can be extremely difficult. Even with funding, another concern is whether consumers in many households across the US will be willing to buy a new product when disposable income is used for necessities.

The third trend, innovation confidence, is vital for success in businesses. The conference exuded a palpable excitement for the future of innovation as presenters and workers, representing their beliefs, contributed to the atmosphere. Even though times are uncertain, innovation continues to thrive as our world needs new perspectives and solutions.