"What if I told you that, on a cold and dreary morning in Oregon in 1971, an ordinary breakfast sparked an innovation that forever changed track and field—and modern footwear?” The diner was none other than Bill Bowerman, the famed Oregon track and field coach and co-owner of Nike. Bowerwan was a tireless trailblazer, a constant pursuer of better/faster. That fateful morning, he saw in his waffle iron what others hadn’t: a performance enhancement. Tired of heavy, spiked running shoes, he believed that the unique waffle pattern could provide increased grip/traction and give his team a competitive edge. There was only one problem: he rendered his waffle iron useless on his first try when the rubber he utilized glued it shut.
Fortunately, Bowerman, the consummate tinkerer, was not deterred by this initial blunder. In fact, he recognized that the path to innovation is paved with failures. Just as Thomas Edison said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." For Bowerman, the ruined waffle iron was not a deterrent, but rather a useful piece of information, a step towards success. His iterative experimentation process continued until he had exactly what he had envisioned: The Nike Waffle Trainer, a shoe that would change the footwear industry forever.
Whether you are an athlete, an entrepreneur, or someone simply looking to improve, Bowerman’s quest for a better running shoe highlights several key lessons in innovation:
Embrace Failure- Each failed attempt is an opportunity to learn and grow.
Adjust and Enhance- Creative pursuits rarely happen overnight. Instead, they involve continual adjustments, enhancements, and optimization.
Look for Inspiration in Unexpected Places – Creative insights often are sparked outside of your particular area of focus (Check out the connection between the Centre Pompidou and the Air Max 1 for reference).
Persistence is Key – In order to create something unique and impactful, failure resilience and determination are imperative.
So, the next time you decide to avoid a challenge because you are afraid of failing, please remember that failure is not something to be feared; it is something to be embraced. Just like the bottom of the Waffle Trainer, the path to success is never smooth.