"Uno de mis mejores amigos me ha pasado esta historia que es un buen recordatorio del poder de la creatividad y la innovación. La historia gira en torno a el cultivo de sandias cuadradas en Japón (una historia real). Os transcribo el email que me ha enviado:
Esto hizo a los responsables de las tiendas felices y tenía un beneficio añadido en que era más barato y eficiente el transporte. Los consumidores también estaban encantados, porque las sandias cuadradas caben mejor en los frigoríficos, que también son más pequeños que en otros países. Todo esto supuso además un ligero beneficio para los agricultores, que podían pedir un precio mas elevado por las sandías.
Si de entrada te planteas que algo es imposible, probablemente lo será para ti. Si, por el contrario tienes la mente abierta y decides comprobar por ti mismo si algo es posible o no, lo comprobarás mediante la prueba y el error.
Lessons of the Square Watermelon
Japanese grocery stores had a problem. They are much smaller than their US counterparts and therefore don't have room to waste. Watermelons, big and round, wasted a lot of space. Most people would simply tell the grocery stores that watermelons grow round and there is nothing that can be done about it. But some Japanese farmers took a different approach. "If the supermarkets want a space efficient watermelon," they asked themselves, "How can we provide one?" It wasn't long before they invented the square watermelon.
The solution to the problem of round watermelons wasn't nearly as difficult to solve for those who didn't assume the problem was impossible to begin with and simply asked how it could be done. It turns out that all you need to do is place them into a square box when they are growing and the watermelon will take on the shape of the box.
This made the grocery stores happy and had the added benefit that it was much easier and cost effective to ship the watermelons. Consumers also loved them because they took less space in their refrigerators which are much smaller than those in the US - which resulted in the growers being able to charge a premium price for them.
Las tiendas de alimentación japonesas tenían un problema. Son mucho más pequeñas que las de sus colegas norteamericanos y por lo tanto no pueden desperdiciar el espacio del que disponen. Las sandias, grandes y redondas, desperdiciaban mucho de ese espacio. La mayor parte de la gente le diría a los responsables de las tiendas que las sandias son redondas y que no hay mucho que hacer al respecto. Pero algunos agricultores japoneses decidieron enfocar el problema de otra forma. "Si los supermercados necesitan una sandía que aproveche eficientemente el espacio, ¿cómo podemos proveérsela? No pasó mucho tiempo hasta que inventaron la sandía cuadrada.
La solución al problema de las sandías no era tan difícil como pensaban aquellos que lo consideraron imposible. Resulta que todo lo que hay que hacer es colocar las sandías en una caja cuadrada mientras están creciendo y ellas solas se adaptan a esa forma.
Esto hizo a los responsables de las tiendas felices y tenía un beneficio añadido en que era más barato y eficiente el transporte. Los consumidores también estaban encantados, porque las sandias cuadradas caben mejor en los frigoríficos, que también son más pequeños que en otros países. Todo esto supuso además un ligero beneficio para los agricultores, que podían pedir un precio mas elevado por las sandías.¿Qué tiene esta historia que enseñarnos a parte de que existen sandías cuadradas? Hay cinco lecciones que podemos aprender de esta historia, lecciones que te ayudarán en cualquier área de tu vida. Son estas:
1.) No des nada por sentado:
El principal problema era que la mayoría de las personas han visto siempre sandías redondas y automáticamente asumían que las sandías cuadradas eran algo implanteable. Las cosas que has estado haciendo toda la vida de una determinada forma, tienen el aura de una sandía redonda y es probable que ni siquiera hayas considerado que existe otra forma de hacerlas. Dejar de dar cosas por sentado podrá ayudarte a mejorar en la vida ya que estarás constante mente buscando formas nuevas y más efectivas de hacer las cosas.
2.) Cuestiona tus hábitos:
La mejor forma de atacar esos supuestos que das por sentado, es cuestionar tus propios hábitos. Si haces el esfuerzo de cuestionarte siempre la forma en que haces las cosas, descubrirás que puedes mejorar continuamente la forma en la que vives y tu vida. Los hábitos que se adoptan tras haberse meditado mucho son positivos, pero la mayoría de nosotros adoptamos hábitos de otras personas y culturas sin ni siquiera pensar en ellos.
3.) Se creativo:
Cuando te enfrentes a un problema intenta ser creativos en la búsqueda de una solución. Esto requiere casi siempre pensar fuera de lo establecido. La mayoría de las personas a las que se les planteaba la cuestión de las sandías, pensaban en solucionarlo mediante la modificación genética, algo mucho más complicado de conseguir. Mirando el problema desde una perspectiva alterativa, la solución resultó ser muy sencilla. Ser creativo y mirar las cosas de una forma diferente, en cualquier ámbito de nuestra vida, nos ayudará a encontrar soluciones que otros no ven a muchos problemas.
4.) Busca una forma mejor:
El problema de las sandías simplemente era una cuestión de buscar una forma mejor y más conveniente de hacer las cosas. Los responsables de las tiendas abanderaron el problema preguntando si alguien podría ofrecerles una solución. Es imposible encontrar una forma mejor de hacer las cosas si nadie se lo plantea. Pregúntate siempre si hay una forma mejor de hacer las cosas que estás haciendo y escribe las cosas que te gustaría hacer (y actualmente no puedes hacer) porque eso te dará una idea de los pasos que debes tomar. Creáte el hábito de preguntarte ¿Hay una forma mejor de hacer esto? y verás como a menudo la hay.
5.) Lo que se considera imposible, muchas veces no lo es:
Lessons of the Square Watermelon
Japanese grocery stores had a problem. They are much smaller than their US counterparts and therefore don't have room to waste. Watermelons, big and round, wasted a lot of space. Most people would simply tell the grocery stores that watermelons grow round and there is nothing that can be done about it. But some Japanese farmers took a different approach. "If the supermarkets want a space efficient watermelon," they asked themselves, "How can we provide one?" It wasn't long before they invented the square watermelon.
The solution to the problem of round watermelons wasn't nearly as difficult to solve for those who didn't assume the problem was impossible to begin with and simply asked how it could be done. It turns out that all you need to do is place them into a square box when they are growing and the watermelon will take on the shape of the box.
This made the grocery stores happy and had the added benefit that it was much easier and cost effective to ship the watermelons. Consumers also loved them because they took less space in their refrigerators which are much smaller than those in the US - which resulted in the growers being able to charge a premium price for them.
What does this have do with anything besides square watermelons? There are a few lessons that you can take away from this story which will help you in all parts of your life. Here are a few of them:
Don't assume: The major problem was that most people had always seen round watermelons so they automatically assumed that square watermelons were impossible before even thinking about the question. Things that you have been doing a certain way your entire life have taken on the aura of the round watermelon and you likely don't even take the time to consider if there is another way to do it. Breaking yourself from assuming this way can greatly improve your overall life as you are constantly looking for new and better ways to do things.
Question habits: The best way to tackle these assumptions is to question your habits. If you can make an effort to question the way you do things on a consistent basis, you will find that you can continually improve the way that you live your life. Forming habits when they have been well thought out is usually a positive thing, but most of us have adopted our habits from various people and places without even thinking about them.
Be creative: When faced with a problem, be creative in looking for a solution. This often requires thinking outside the box. Most people who viewed this question likely thought they were being asked how they could genetically alter water melons to grow square which would be a much more difficult process to accomplish. By looking at the question from an alternative perspective, however, the solution was quite simple. Being creative and looking at things in different ways in all portions of your live will help you find solutions to many problems where others can't see them.
Look for a better way: The square watermelon question was simply seeking a better and more convenient way to do something. The stores had flagged a problem they were having and asked if a solution was possible. It's impossible to find a better way if you are never asking the question in the first place . Always ask if there is a better way of doing the things that you do and constantly write down the things you wish you could do (but currently can't) since these are usually hints about steps you need to change. Get into the habit of asking yourself, "Is there a better way I could be doing this?" and you will find there often is.
Don't assume: The major problem was that most people had always seen round watermelons so they automatically assumed that square watermelons were impossible before even thinking about the question. Things that you have been doing a certain way your entire life have taken on the aura of the round watermelon and you likely don't even take the time to consider if there is another way to do it. Breaking yourself from assuming this way can greatly improve your overall life as you are constantly looking for new and better ways to do things.
Question habits: The best way to tackle these assumptions is to question your habits. If you can make an effort to question the way you do things on a consistent basis, you will find that you can continually improve the way that you live your life. Forming habits when they have been well thought out is usually a positive thing, but most of us have adopted our habits from various people and places without even thinking about them.
Be creative: When faced with a problem, be creative in looking for a solution. This often requires thinking outside the box. Most people who viewed this question likely thought they were being asked how they could genetically alter water melons to grow square which would be a much more difficult process to accomplish. By looking at the question from an alternative perspective, however, the solution was quite simple. Being creative and looking at things in different ways in all portions of your live will help you find solutions to many problems where others can't see them.
Look for a better way: The square watermelon question was simply seeking a better and more convenient way to do something. The stores had flagged a problem they were having and asked if a solution was possible. It's impossible to find a better way if you are never asking the question in the first place . Always ask if there is a better way of doing the things that you do and constantly write down the things you wish you could do (but currently can't) since these are usually hints about steps you need to change. Get into the habit of asking yourself, "Is there a better way I could be doing this?" and you will find there often is.
Impossibilities often aren't: If you begin with the notion that something is impossible, then it obviously will be for you. If, on the other hand, you decide to see if something is possible or not, you will find out through trial and error. Apply the lessons from the square watermelons to areas in your life (work, finances, relationships, etc) and by consistently applying them, you may continuously
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