Points To Ponder When Inventors Hit Mental, Emotional Roadblocks In Their Journey, By April Mitchell
WHEN AN IDEA SPARKS, it is such an amazing feeling! It’s like a high or burst of energy that can’t always be explained.
I find these special moments also happen when that “aha!” moment comes after lots of tinkering or brainstorming results in a problem-solving breakthrough, and figuring out the best way to move forward.
As inventors, our brains often don’t stop thinking and creating. It can be nonstop.
But what if it starts to become more stressful than it should be, and without the payoff we want?
After being go-go-go for years, life as a full-time inventor has recently caught up with me. This caused me to pause and consider everything I am doing, and why I am doing it.
If you have found yourself in this place, these thoughts may help you on your journey.
What’s your why?
Why are you creating, inventing or designing?
I have always enjoyed the process from idea to prototype to store shelves. Creating something new is exciting to me. I like using my imagination, thinking “what if,” and seeing what I can come up with.
Once I learned I could invent and refine one product, I quickly had more ideas waiting for their turn to be sifted through and worked on. I feel it is a part of who I am and what I’m meant to do.
I want to be a part of bringing fun into homes with new games or part of the solution to solving a problem with a new housewares product, or part of the reason people smile, say “Wow,” or enjoy their day.
Why are you spending your time inventing or designing? What do you like most about it? Is it fulfilling your need or desire to create and be a part of something bigger than yourself?
Can your mental and emotional health handle it?
Even when you enjoy what you do, there are things about this job—or any job—that are stressful. Different aspects or parts of the process affect people differently. There will be some things you don’t enjoy doing; there will be things that stress you out.
My goal is to license my inventions and designs when I create them. With this comes hearing the word “No” a lot when I present the concepts to companies.
We are in the rejection business. Whether this happens while trying to license your products or trying to sell your product if you manufactured it on your own, it can get tiring–even with developing thicker skin or hearing it thousands of times.
Not knowing when the next deal or sale is coming from can be stressful. It can affect finances, especially if you are a full-time inventor.
Do a check-in on yourself to ensure you are handling the stress of it. If you need to, take a step back or reduce the amount of projects you have going on.
Evaluating your situation with projects you are working on, along with your mental and emotional health, are very important. If you dare, ask a few close family members or friends how they think you are handling everything!
How much does money matter?
When I started in inventing, I concentrated on my “why” and believed that in time the money would come. I wasn’t doing it for the money, yet my goal was for my inventions to help create financial freedom for my family.
I’m not yet where I want to be but still hope to get that freedom someday.
Some inventors will hit it big with just one product and be set for life.
Some will have dozens on the market, and together all the royalties add up to be a good amount they can live on as they continue to invent.
Some inventors only live on their advances, while none of their products sell well enough to make royalties after the advance has been paid—or only have a few products making money, living advance to advance.
Very few inventors can solely live on the money they make from licensing products. The key is to have many products licensed, which
means having far more products out there that you are pitching at one time.
As mentioned in previous articles, I recommend keeping your job until you are certain you can live on your royalty earnings.
Think about your need or want for money in this business.
Would you keep inventing or designing even if you don’t meet your financial goals?
What amount of money do you need to earn to work less or retire from your other job so you can live on it?
At what point do you think your time and inventing efforts aren’t worth it for the money you are making? What’s the magic number?
Will there ever be enough? Will you ever be satisfied with the amount of items you’ve invented or that are on the market that you invented? Or will you want or need to keep at it until you are no longer walking on Earth? I don’t personally have a magic number where I would say “I think now is a good time to hang up my hat because I have X amount of products out in the world.” Because I feel this is what I am meant to do. I would like to think I would create, invent or design on some level as long as I am still here.
Other people just want to prove they can do it—that they can get one of their products on the market—and this will be the great accomplishment, which it certainly is!
Where do you fit in here?
Step back, but don’t quit
Being an inventor is not easy. There are many joys to it, but people have varying tolerances for what they can handle and what might be best for them.
It’s important to give your all if you are on this journey. I have seen too many products not make it to retail because the inventor quit too quickly.
I also believe it’s important to know when to take a step back on the amount of projects you are working on, or even take time off from inventing for a month or two to relax and regroup.
When you find yourself having more stress than enjoyment, take a break and evaluate. I find this necessary, and that the creativity and
joy of inventing can quickly come back!
Happy inventing.