Embrace the Title: How Calling Yourself an Inventor Fuels Innovative Success
By Gary Shuster, Innovation Café
Introduction
Welcome back to Innovation Café, where we uncover the everyday habits, mindsets, and practical tips that can transform you into a more effective inventor and innovator. In today’s post, I’m drawing inspiration from a surprising source—a Broadway producer—to demonstrate how something as simple as a business card can boost both your self-confidence and your professional credibility.
Yes, you read that right: sometimes, success hinges on calling yourself what you aspire to be before you feel you’ve fully “arrived.” By printing those two words—inventor or innovator—on your business card and using them in your day-to-day interactions, you can psychologically and socially pave the way toward becoming the future you’ve envisioned.
The crux of the advice is quite simple yet incredibly impactful: label yourself according to what you want to become. This is more than just a psychological trick; it’s an important principle in social psychology often termed “self-affirmation” or “role internalization.” By actively and publicly presenting yourself in a role—be it “inventor” or “innovator” or “Broadway producer”—you create both internal motivation and external recognition that can lead to tangible opportunities.
- Internal Motivation:
- When you attach a title to yourself, you’re making a commitment to live up to that claim. This can reduce the “imposter syndrome” many creative individuals face.
- Feeling obligated to honor that title propels you to learn more, network more effectively, and refine your craft to become who you say you are.
- External Recognition:
- Potential collaborators, funders, or even casual contacts might think, “If this person is calling themselves an inventor, they must be working on something novel.”
- A business card that boldly proclaims “Innovator” or “Inventor” signals your aspirations and can spark meaningful conversations. People approach you with respect for your declared expertise or curiosity about your projects.
From Aspiration to Action: Five Practical Steps
- Print the Card
- Whether you design it yourself or use an online printing service, keep it professional yet clear. Include “Inventor” or “Innovator” along with any relevant credentials (e.g., “Prolific Inventor,” “Robotics Innovator,” “Patent Holder,” etc.).
- Don’t wait until you have a portfolio of 20 patents; one issued patent already makes you an inventor. Even if you’re still at the provisional patent stage, you’re “innovating.”
- Leverage Social Media Profiles
- Update your LinkedIn headline or Bluesky bio. If you want the world to recognize you as an innovator, let your online presence reflect that.
- Share short posts about your project progress, industry insights, or interesting findings. This regularly reminds your network of your evolving role.
- Engage in Conversations
- Handing someone your business card is an opportunity to introduce your areas of passion.
- When people see “inventor” or “innovator,” they’re more likely to ask you about your work. Use this as an opening to pitch your ideas or highlight the value you bring.
- Set Specific Goals
- The label alone isn’t a magic wand; you also need action steps. Are you working toward a new prototype? Researching solutions for a market need? Plan your milestones.
- Each milestone you achieve deepens the authenticity behind the title on your business card.
- Keep Evolving
- Innovation is not static. Even if you’ve earned the “inventor” label with one patent, keep exploring new ideas, learning new technologies, and expanding your skills.
- Continuously updating your personal brand ensures you remain relevant and credible.
Why This Works: The Psychology of Identity and Achievement
In the realm of positive psychology, there’s a concept called the “Pygmalion Effect,” which is the phenomenon where higher expectations lead to improved performance. By labeling yourself as an innovator, you’re essentially setting higher expectations for your own capabilities and future achievements. You also invite others to treat you according to that title—which can open doors you might have overlooked if you’d remained ambiguous about your aspirations.
Moreover, “self-fulfilling prophecy” research suggests that once we adopt a certain identity, we unconsciously direct our actions to affirm that identity. This goes beyond mere bravado; it becomes a guiding principle for how we spend our time, the people we associate with, and the opportunities we pursue.
Potential Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
- Overpromising
- A label like “innovator” should come with genuine curiosity and effort to explore new ideas, not empty talk. Consistently pursue learning (reading, prototyping, networking) so that your label remains credible.
- Complacency
- Just printing a card doesn’t guarantee success. Be ready to prove yourself through tangible efforts: building prototypes, presenting ideas, filing patents, or collaborating with others on projects.
- Narrow Focus
- You’re not limited to one domain once you label yourself as an inventor. Maintain an open mind about pivoting or expanding into adjacent fields—true innovators evolve with the needs of the market and their own discoveries.
Conclusion: Print It, Proclaim It, and Become It
If you’re serious about innovation, don’t hide it under vague terms or wait until you reach an arbitrary “expert” level. Take a cue from the Broadway producer who decided his path by literally printing it on a business card. By confidently calling yourself an innovator (or inventor), you set the stage for conversations, networking, and self-development that can transform your aspiration into an authentic reality.
Remember, innovation isn’t just a label; it’s an ongoing journey of curiosity and problem-solving. Yet the label can be the spark that sets everything into motion. So go ahead, print the card, embrace the title, and let it fuel your passion and commitment to making meaningful contributions in your field.
Together, let’s keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.