February 2023 — Peripheral Thinkers™ Newsletter
February 15, 2023
Aloha, Peripheral Thinkers™!
Welcome to the second edition of the Peripheral Thinkers™ Newsletter. PTN #002.
This newsletter is for you. To serve you. To inform, challenge, and occasionally entertain you.
If you like it, share it. If you disagree with something, please tell me. If something’s confusing, ask me.
I hope the content moves you and your business beyond obstacles and empowers you to thrive in any environment/market condition.
Glad you are here!
🤙🏽 Paul
A Peripheral Perspective – COMMON TOOLS
Every profession, activity, sport, hobby, etc., has its set of common tools. Lawyers use case law. Washing dishes involves soap and water. You play tennis with a tennis racket. Woodworking uses hand and power tools. You get the idea.
Tools evolve, making the work faster, cleaner, stronger, and more precise.
You know the common tools you use and can likely name several tools others use.
While I have used a wrench as a hammer or my shop vac as a leaf blower, this is often the exception, not the rule.
Why is the “misuse” of a tool so uncommon? So unconventional?
As my great friend Neil Redding describes in his keynote and articles, many of us were indoctrinated in the paradigm of distinction. “The world is made up of discrete, distinct, separate things.” We name them—dog, car, mom, dad. We categorize them and even memorize phrases about them. “The best investment is in the tools of one’s own trade.” – Benjamin Franklin.
(I recommend you find Neil’s videos and articles about the shift to the Ecosystem Paradigm.)
Could this also explain why we dismiss other people’s common tools as irrelevant when it comes to our specific needs? Our specific challenges? Our specific goals?
Sure.
Conventional wisdom and common practices are well-intentioned but can be from narrow perspectives.
Even Benjamin Franklin would agree. There is no apparent connection between the common tools of his professions—statesman, author, publisher, scientist, and diplomat—and a kite, string, or key.
Innovations often come by applying common elements in uncommon ways.
“Innovation is taking two things that exist and putting them together in a new way.” –Tom Freston, Former Chairman of MTV Networks.
Do you follow?
Okay. Let’s see…
❓ What does a bakery in Bulgaria have in common with a foundry in France?
❓ What does a movie theater in Malaysia have to do with a distribution center in Denmark?
❓ What does a flu in China have to do with a worldwide spike in unemployment?
Conventional wisdom—before 2020—said, “They have little or nothing in common.” And since 2020, conventional wisdom is still silent regarding the first two questions.
On the other hand, Peripheral Thinkers™ replied, “Wait a minute! They may have a lot more in common than you think. There may be ideas here we can use.”
Common tools used by other people in different industries, countries, and cultures may be the inspiration you need for your next innovation.
Get a kite, some string, and a key. Define the elements and principles of each. Then, consider how you can apply these principles to innovate beyond your obstacles and become an uncommon leader. A Peripheral Thinker™.
Projects in the Periphery
🤙🏽 I’m speaking at the 19th Symposium on Emerging Intellectual Property Issues: Intellectual Property and the Business of Innovations on Friday, February 24th, 2023
🤙🏽 Creating a calendar on my website listing speaking gigs and interviews
🤙🏽 Creating an online home for the newsletters
🤙🏽 Applications for the first Peripheral Thinkers™ cohort of business leaders.
One More Thing
If you like the newsletter, please invite your friends and colleagues to subscribe. Send them to https://www.pauldanielsjr.com/contact and tell them to enter “PTN” in the comments.
Thanks for being part of the Peripheral Thinkers™ Newsletter community!
Until next time, I’ll be looking for you in the periphery.
Mahalo,
🤙🏽
Paul
Peripheral Thinking™ Background
Other than a term that’s somewhat difficult to say, what the heck is Peripheral Thinking™?
A little over 10% of the population is born with secret super-skills. While a small percentage of the population, these people represent a disproportionate percentage of notable innovators. From corporate pioneers to scientists to world-class athletes—these leaders raised the bar for their professions and, in some cases, created new industries.
Henry Ford, Ann Bancroft (explorer), da Vinci, Edison, Agatha Christie, JFK, Richard Branson, Erin Brockovich, Muhammad Ali, and more.
All innovators.
All Dyslexic.
We’ve cracked the code to the innovative, super-solver, swiss army knife dyslexic brain.
So, I translated the super-skills to support the neurotypical 90%.
In general terms, Peripheral Thinking™ is an unconventional approach to finding and applying seemingly unrelated ideas, principles, and proven solutions and combining them in new ways. It’s a new way of pulling meaning from everyday experiences to expose patterns and hidden paths that move you beyond obstacles. It informs the way you communicate, connect, and empathize with people. It exponentially increases the resources you can tap into at will.