There are two basic reasons why the human race has managed to progress during the ages: the first is creativity and the second is innovation. Each of those two notions has got many faces and there is lot of discussion going on if they are inherent to specific people or they can be taught (or maybe both). Read this book to be enlightened on the delicate and interesting subject of human creativity.
Further reading: Innovation and the economic crisis

This A to Z of Creativity and Innovation Techniques, provides an introduction to a range of tools and techniques for both idea generation (Creativity) and converting those ideas into reality (Innovation). Like most tools these techniques all have their good and bad points. I like to think of these creativity and innovation techniques as tools in a toolbox in much the same way as my toolbox at home for DIY. It has a saw, spanner, hammer, knife and all sorts of other things in it, they are all very useful, but you have to pick the right tool (creativity / Innovation technique) for each job.

There has been only one pursuit in my life that keeps me excited, energised and enthused. It is to be excellent.

Long before I contemplated the meaning of the word excellent, I just wanted to be.

At what? People ask me. I find this question perplexing. As if we should restrict our aspirations of being excellent to a single thing, to a solitary pursuit. This feels too limiting. To be excellent is a vocation, a lifestyle. It is what makes me happy.