"The Videmus Moment": Why Eureka! Is Not Enough

There’s something special about experiencing a eureka moment’, that moment we get a breakthrough idea. Archimedes’ bath time exclamation has become the byword for innovation. But it doesn’t necessarily tell the full story.

That initial idea plays an important role in either kickstarting the creative process or propelling us past mental blocks and challenges. It will provide a burst of energy that sets us on our way. That, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that the idea will be successful or that the energy will last.

Most innovations don’t take place overnight. In many cases, the journey from breakthrough to launch can be very long. While the story of Archimedes suggests that he made his breakthrough in his bath, he still had to develop the mathematics, prove his principle of displacement, and convert the theory into a practical tool.

We need something beyond the eureka moment, moments along the path that reinvigorate us and give us continued forward momentum.

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