DREIESKIVA​|Roald Kvam

Some of the most remarkable inventions and discoveries in history have often been the result of accidents—not brilliant plans, not clever strategies, not deep pockets, not even genius minds. But chance!

“Name the greatest of all inventors. Accident.” – Mark Twain

This means we should live like this:

We look for teachers and lessons in everything and everyone—good and bad, humble and grand—because we never know where the next great idea or solution will come from.

So let’s, “accidentally,” take a closer look at this:

Many major discoveries and inventions have happened by accident—often while researchers or inventors were looking for something else entirely.

Mark Twain’s quote—and the lifestyle I advocate for—highlights the value of being open to unexpected results and recognizing the potential in mistakes and mishaps. Before you know it, you might find yourself at the center of something new, something useful, or something that could make life better for you, your people, and others.

Being able to adapt and take advantage of accidental findings or events has always been a key part of creativity and innovation. Let’s make it a key part of our everyday lives, too.

Mistakes and accidents often lead to insights and discoveries that wouldn’t have been possible through deliberate planning alone. We’ve got plenty of great examples to remind ourselves:

• Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by accident when he noticed mold killing bacteria in one of his petri dishes.
• Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays by accident while experimenting with cathode rays.
• Spencer Silver and Art Fry from 3M accidentally discovered the adhesive used in Post-it Notes. Fry found a practical use for Silver’s “failed” glue when he needed a bookmark that wouldn’t fall out.
• Percy Spencer discovered the microwave oven when the chocolate bar in his pocket melted while he worked on radar equipment.

There’s so much good that can happen in our lives if we walk through our days open to mistakes and mishaps—embracing them as opportunities rather than fearing them as potential “showstoppers” for some plan we had.

Here are a few tips to get started:

• Look for and stay open to opportunities in unexpected results or events. Don’t dismiss something as a failure before you’ve explored its potential.
• View mistakes as learning opportunities. Analyze what happened and consider how it might lead to something useful or innovative.
• Stay curious and willing to experiment without being afraid to fail. Many great discoveries come from trying something new and unexpected.
• Be flexible and ready to adapt to new findings or situations. Sometimes the road leads in a direction you didn’t plan for—and that can be a gift.
• Keep a detailed record of your experiences, even those that seem trivial or unsuccessful. Share them with others—they might see something you haven’t noticed.

I believe that this way of living can make life significantly more exciting for all of us. And bring along a whole range of positive outcomes:

• Being open to chance can stimulate creative thinking and lead to new ideas and innovations.
• Seeing potential in mistakes and mishaps can improve your ability to solve problems in fresh and effective ways.
• Embracing the unexpected enhances your ability to adapt to change and new situations—an essential skill in a fast-changing world.
• Learning to find value in the unexpected can boost your resilience and your ability to cope with setbacks.

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Some of the most significant inventions and discoveries in history happened by accident. That’s a fact. So by staying open to the unexpected, learning from mistakes, and adapting to new findings, we can turn more accidents into advantages.

Creativity and innovation—both personally and professionally—thrive when we recognize the potential in the unexpected and use it as a source of inspiration and learning.