Innovation is not only about being smart. It's about courage

I have seen this written somewhere else a couple of times: in order to create great new things is not enough to have the skills to create them. You also have to want to create it: you need the drive, the courage, and the will to realize it.

And now I come across Maeda's entry on being creative, existing and having the guts to express yourself and taking the risk.
"Creativity is courage. The world needs more fearless people that can influence all disciplines to challenge their very existence. Creativity is reflection aimed not at yourself, but at the world around you."
http://weblogs.media.mit.edu/SIMPLICITY/archives/000494.html

Larry Keeley said it also during a class last year at ID:
“If you want to be great at innovation, notice things before others, commit to them before others, and know the consequences down the road. It’s about courage.”

http://brandingandinnovation.typepad.com/branding_and_innovation/2007/11/more-keeley-ism.html


Picture: Henri Rosseau "Fight between a tiger and a buffalo"