In the world of creativity and innovation, Steve Jobs, the iconic co-founder of Apple, remains an immutable benchmark. His ability to see opportunities where others did not and to create revolutionary products continues to be admired. But what was his secret?
Unlike the popular belief that creativity is about creating something “out of nothing,” for Jobs, it was more like putting together a mosaic. Every experience, every knowledge, every point in your life is a piece of that creative puzzle. True magic happens when these dots are connected in unexpected and unconventional ways, what he himself called the point method.
Imagine, for example, combining the memory of a trip to the mountains with a melody that comes to mind. This could lead to the creation of an innovative meditation app with natural sounds. This is where Jobs’ point method comes into play, by uniting two seemingly disparate ideas to create something new and exciting.
The more points, the better
As it explains Computer Todayone of the fundamental pillars of this approach is accumulate a diverse repertoire of points or experiences. The more experiences and knowledge you have under your belt, the richer your creative palette will be.
The iconic example from Apple’s history is the calligraphy course that Jobs took, which later influenced the design of the first Macintosh, giving it a revolutionary touch in terms of typography and design. Furthermore, this interdisciplinary approach is what led to innovations like the wearable technology of the Apple Watch.
Maintaining curiosity and the desire to constantly learn is essential for this process. As YourStory mentions, it is important to “stay curious to find new links.” Although some points may seem useless at first, they could become the key to a brilliant idea in the future.