How watching Seinfeld can help you become more innovative

"Did you ever wonder why...?"

The above phrase captures the thematic brilliance of Seinfeld, both the show as well as the comedian. In addition to providing a foundation for Seinfeld's comedy, it also serves as a framework for exploring the world with more innovative eyes.

One of the core premises of this famous "Seinfeldian" phrase is the idea that not everything that is necessarily makes sense or should be. Most people, being extremely busy and having grown up in an environment in which "it has always been this way", are less likely to notice "the absurd" in everyday life.

Taking the time out to put on the "Seinfeld glasses" allows you to take a step back and make the types of observations that can lead to major innovations for products, services & processes. As I have written about in prior posts, becoming a more mindful marketer is the name of the game, and Seinfeld's mindfulness is one such variation on the theme.

So the next time your thinking about a product, a service, a process, or what have you, take a 60-second timeout out and ask yourself, "What about this do I find annoying? What irritates me or seems unnecessary, silly, or overly cumbersome?"

After you have discovered these irritants or apparent absurdities, challenge yourself to come up with solutions, knowing that they are waiting to be discovered.