As another year is almost in the books and we head into a brand new year, now is the perfect time to prepare yourself to chase after your dreams.

Today, we want to share with you three tips to help you begin the New Year with a new attitude to hopefully help you, once and for all, make your dreams a reality.

Here are three tips to set a New Year’s resolution, keep it and never give up!

1. Slow and steady – If you want to chase after your dreams, don’t resolve to try and change everything all at once. Rather, set smaller, more attainable goals. Don’t set goals that set you up for failure. Be sure to make your resolutions attainable. When you set smaller goals and continually cross them off your list when completed, you’ll be more motivated to continue to reach for the stars and your overarching goal. Sooner rather than later, you’ll likely reach your main resolution.
2. Be confident – Have confidence in yourself and your goal. When setting a New Year’s resolution, it’s important to believe in yourself. Though in the previous tip we encouraged you to make resolutions that are attainable, we don’t mean that you should ever sell yourself short. If you believe in yourself and your abilities, then there is nothing that can get in your way and no goal is too big. As the popular saying goes, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
3. Be adventurous ­– “Life begins outside of your comfort zone.” There’s no better time than at the beginning of a new year to write down the goals that you want to reach in that 12-month period. As a new year begins, so too does a clean slate. Soon, you’ll have 365 new chances to turn your dreams into reality. Promise yourself in 2016 that you’ll take the risk for something that you believe in and you know will make a difference in not only in your life, but also the lives of others.

So as 2015 is quickly coming to a close and 2016 is on the horizon, why not make this year the year that you pursue your invention idea? If this is your New Year’s resolution, don’t wait for 2016 to arrive. Submit your invention idea today!

Copyright Davison, 2015

Image:

http://happyholidays2016.com/wp-content/uploads/New-Year-2016-01.jpg

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Dreams are “a series of thoughts, visions, or feelings that happen during sleep.”

We’ve all had them before; some may have been scary while others may have been enjoyable. Though dreams are a curious category, there even have been some that have turned into famous ideas.

Today, we’re going to share three inventions that came to be because of dreams!

The sewing machine – Elias Howe is the inventor of the sewing machine and his invention idea to build a machine that would automate the sewing process came from a spooky dream. After failed attempts at using a needle with points about both ends and the eye in the middle, Howe dreamt that he was taken captive by a group of natives that danced around him with spears. As he saw them dancing with spears moving back and forth quickly and menacingly, he noticed that all of their spears had holes near their tips. When he woke up from this dream, he had a “lightbulb” moment in that he had finally found the solution to his problem. From this dream, Howe discovered a better way to sew by adding a hole to the tip of each needle where the thread could be caught after it was sewn through the cloth. It was this dream that made the sewing machine possible in 1845.

The periodic table of elements – Dmitry Mendeleyev was the mind behind the periodic table of elements. It’s said that after three days of non-stop work, he finally decided to give his mind a rest. This would turn into a 17-hour slumber during which he dreamt of an arrangement of elements that would forever change chemistry as we know it. Once we woke up from his dream, he immediately recorded his thoughts and from there, the periodic table of elements was invented.

The theory of relativity – E=MC². This equation is classified as one of the most influential theories in science. If it weren’t for Einstein’s dream, the theory of relativity wouldn’t exist. The dream was of Einstein sledding down a mountain at a high rate of speed that continued to increase; the sled eventually was traveling at the speed of light. It was at this point that the stars began to change in appearance and he began to develop his idea of relativity. This would, in time, lead to his general theory of relativity that we know today.

If you’re in a creative rut, catch some Z’s and look to your dreams for inspiration. Who knows, maybe one day you can turn your dreams (literally) into reality!

If you’re feeling inspired, submit your invention idea, today!

Copyright Davison, 2015

Sources:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dream

http://mentalfloss.com/article/12763/11-creative-breakthroughs-people-had-their-sleep

http://dreamstop.com/6-famous-ideas-came-dream/

Images:

https://images.rapgenius.com/ed3ec4365eebde800e92307e1d80f930.512x512x1.png

http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/12/122212-004-84710B91.jpg

http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/tableofelements.png

http://en.es-static.us/upl/2013/09/emc2-albert-einstein-300×214.jpg

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You know the popular saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” That same sentiment can apply to inventions as well!

In today’s blog, we’re going to share a story with you about a very popular invention that’s the perfect example of why it’s important to not pre-judge invention ideas.

Without further ado, here’s the story of a famous toy – the Slinky!

The invention of the Slinky is simple; in fact, it’s almost too simple.

We’ve all played with this curious toy at least once in our life. Remember how it goes – you place the slinky at the top of the stairs and watch as it fluidly cascades down the staircase, step-by-step.

The story of the Slinky began when Richard James dropped a tension spring and noticed how it kept moving.  He told his wife Betty, “I think I can make a toy out of this,” and so began his two-year search for the best steel gauge and coil to use for the toy.

While James was working on the invention, his wife was working on furthering the idea by coming up with a name. Betty stumbled upon a Swedish word that means “traespiral” – sleek or sinuous. That word was “Slinky”.

The invention was complete and a name had been picked; the next step for this inventing duo was to present their toy at an event at the Gimbels Department Store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the 1945 Christmas season.

They were nervous and unsure as to how the public would take to their invention. Would they like it? Would they think it was fun? Would it be a success?

With all of these questions swirling in their brains, they finally convinced a friend who was in attendance to buy their first Slinky.

However, it turned out that they didn’t have to convince their friend to purchase their product, because 400 were sold during the 90-minute Gimbels event.

In fact, in the first two years of production, James and his wife’s company sold 100 million Slinkys.

The Slinky’s story shows inventors far and wide that pre-conceived notions and pre-judgements of your invention are nothing but a layer of fog that’s clouding your journey’s progress down the road of innovation.

So, if you have an idea, believe in it and follow that dream, because you could one day be like the inventor of the Slinky.

Set aside all pre-judgements of your invention idea and, just like a Slinky, start at the top of a staircase and work your way from step-to-step to reach your goals.

Copyright Davison, 2015

Sources:

http://wearespacela.blogspot.com/2011/08/history-of-slinky-and-its-inventor-its.html

Image:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/2006-02-04_Metal_spiral.jpg

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

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Every invention journey begins with an idea.  As an aspiring inventor, this idea is yours. Though you’ve thought about it time and time again, perhaps you didn’t know what to do with it or where to go for help to transform the idea into a reality.

As an inventor, you hold your invention ideas close to heart, not sharing it with others for fear that they might steal the idea from you. However, you want to take your idea one step further.

At this point, you turn to Davison and confidentially submit your invention idea. From there, the adventure begins as you go through the inventing process to hopefully one day see your invention on store shelves.

No one said the invention process was easy. In fact, even three of the most famous inventors struggled along the way, too. However, they found a way to overcome the curveballs that were thrown at them to finally reach their goals.

So, today, we offer you some advice straight from some of our seasoned veterans at Davison ready to help as you embark on your very own inventing journey.

Five tips for aspiring inventors about the invention process:

1. Be patient and understand that you will endure some bumps along the road; almost every inventor does. It takes time and perseverance to take a product to the market. You must have thick skin and be ready to deflect criticisms from family and friends. There are a lot of emotions involved in this industry and you must be prepared for the ride.
2. “Don’t live life with regrets.”  Theodore Roosevelt once said “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”  Avoid looking back on your life and asking yourself, “what if?” Life’s short and you only get one shot. If you believe in your idea, follow it and in the worst-case scenario, you can look back and say that you tried!
3. Realize that there are risks in pursuing an idea, just as an entrepreneur faces risks pursuing their new business venture. There are no guarantees, but if you believe in your idea, you have the opportunity to give it a shot.
4. Have fun! It’s important to make this journey fun and enjoyable. Even when setbacks occur, take them in stride. Embrace the ups and downs of the inventing rollercoaster!
5. Stay calm. Many aspiring inventors, at times, are very nervous about moving forward with their idea. Try your best to step outside of your comfort zone, because those feelings of nervousness, uncertainty and anxiety are normal. But, when you take the first step and watch your dreams begin to become reality, those feelings will turn into something quite different.

If you’re ready to begin your very own journey, submit your invention idea, today!

Copyright Davison, 2015

Media:

http://mad-learn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ideas.jpg

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

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Big Tasks, Compact Tool

Clean up those dangling sweater threads, maintain your work-weary nails or get your dog’s attention with this Davison-designed utility knife. We developed the Swiss Army Whistle Knife to hold an extremely high-decibel whistle in one side of the knife housing without exposing any moving parts. The Whistle Knife is small enough to fit on a key ring, but comprehensive enough to tackle a variety of tasks.

Slick Oil Gadget

Gotta change the oil in Babe the Blue Olds? Try Davison’s Oil Filter Gripper to keep yourself clean during this messy endeavor. This massive effort from the Davison team won an Industrial Design Society of America award and was featured in BusinessWeek magazine.

Workspace Woes Begone

Large projects require large amounts of tools. And you have to store them somewhere. Scale down your frustration by keeping your workspace organized with the Tape Measure Holder. Davison’s team of designers took advantage of a workspace pegboard to create the Tape Measure Holder, which also acts as a pencil holder with a built-in sharpener. Its sturdy design enables it to hold up to 3 pounds. As well as being a pegboard device, it can be modified to mount on a wall or sit on a counter.

‘Reely’ Cool Power Source

Big projects need big power. And, big power requires a lot of unsightly extension cords and power strips. Davison created the Mag Reel Retractable Extension Cord housed in a racing-style, tire-shaped case. This four-outlet device perfectly complements any garage while keeping dangerous cords out of the way.

Timesaving Sammies

After a long, hard day, you don’t want to spend too much time on dinner. Grab some freshly made burger patties from your Burger Maker and fire up a hearty meal to feed your lumberjacks. Its compact design features a patty cutter that creates four equal servings with one swing of the ax. The patties can be frozen in the same airtight container, eliminating the need for messy freezer bags, and the containers are even stackable.

Big, little or somewhere in between, Davison has a huge selection of product solutions for everyday living. Check out our full list of Davison-designed products here.

A typical project does not get a royalty agreement, sell in stores or generate a profit.

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