Joshua Watts

A quote that I supremely love is this one by Henry Ford:

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

As you know, Henry Ford invented the car.  I am no history buff, so that’s about as much info as I can give without making up the rest.  But that quote resonates with me so much!  It speaks to the innovator in me.

Being a creative sort, and especially leading the Creative Arts team here at Transit, innovation is very important to me.  Whenever I look at a potential issue, I am aware that the most effective answer may not be the most obvious one, and certainly not always the easiest.  Sometimes the answer is not “faster horses,” but an entirely brand new way of transportation altogether.  It’s exciting to free your imagination, but at the same time, creating can be a rather scary thing – and I suppose that’s the beauty of it.

The quote also speaks to the natural-born leader in me.  Sometimes people don’t know what they want until you tell them.  That might sound strange to you unless you’ve been in that situation.  Here’s a simple example.  Let’s say someone has eaten at McDonald’s and Taco Bell their whole life, and when you ask what they want to eat, they suggest one of those places.  One day, you suggest Pizza Hut and totally change their life!  However, letting people know what they “want” takes, first of all, bravery, as it is always easier to settle for the status quo.  It also takes immense amounts of sensitivity, because change – even for the better – can be unsettling for many.

All that to say, I know many of you out there do indeed prize innovation.  Take this blog as an encouragement to continue pursuing creativity, to continue learning, to continue imagining.  Also take this blog as your cue to be brave in your innovation.  We don’t need faster horses, people; we need a whole new form of transportation!  Dream big and never develop limits within your imagination.

I believe in you!
Josh