This is a summary of the podcast “Think Like a Rocket Scientist” from The Innovation Show, 2021 with Aidan McCullen as host and Ozan Varol as guest. Mr. Varol is a speaker, author and former rocket scientist, who brings insights to the episode from his book “Think like a rocket scientist: Simple strategies for giant leaps in work and life.” He aims for people to boost their innovation and creativity  so that they can take leaps in their personal life, career or business.

The main take aways from his talk are as follows: stay curious and take time for play to boost creativity, shed your old skin to interrupt the power of the status quo, use the first principles thinking to get back to fundamentals, look out for invisible rules that limit your thinking, welcome uncertainty despite the fear, and value questions more than answers

The most innovative thinkers hold on to their curiosity as adults, retaining the ability to think beyond the status. He says just like both work and play are important, deliberate practice has its place which helps people refine a skill and become an expert but deliberate play nurtures creativity and helps people find new ways forward. When we take small breaks during the day, we allow innovative insights to come. Varol calls this the “airplane mode” and even budgets time for it during the day.

Taking the example of a snake that sheds its skin, Varol says that we must let go of what’ no longer serving us to be able to do the next thing. Chicago restaurant owner Alinea understood that restaurants struggle to survive their own success. In their most profitable year to date, they chose to rebuild the restaurant from scratch. The existing skill base and credentials did not go to waste.

“The first principles” thinking is a way of returning to fundamentals especially when discovering new way to execute the original vision. Looking out for invisible rules that limit one’s thinking. These are the one’s that persist past their usefulness. Questioning why we are doing what we are doing can yield productive insights. He asks to welcome uncertainty despite the fear and adds that when certainty ends, progress begins. Insisting on certainty before we make a move will keep you mired in status quo. The same goes for companies.

We are often accustomed to spotting the right answer or solution and spend a lot of energy in trying to refine it from our environment and sources. Instead, he suggests to ask questions because they have a lot of value. The simple act of asking a question can change a problem and reveal previously hidden answers. The development of 2003 Mars Rovers started with someone asking why not send two rovers instead of one? That transformed the mission and led to its enormous success.

Ozan Varol is a professor of law at Lewis and Clark Law school and is the author of “Think like a Rocket scientist: Simple strategies for Giant Leaps in Work and Life.”

Reference to summarizing software: https://booksonsoftware.com/text

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