The theme of Vanity Fair’s inaugural New Establishment Summit in San Francisco was “The Age of Innovation.” As overblown and overhyped as the word is these days, even a cynic has to admit it would be nice to know where innovation actually comes from.

Perhaps it’s even more important to understand where innovation doesn’t come from.

It doesn’t come from a blog, a book or an article. It doesn’t come from inspirational quotes and stories. It doesn’t come from LinkedIn Influencers or anyone you follow on Twitter. It doesn’t come from motivational speakers. And it most certainly doesn’t come from any kind of self-improvement or personal productivity.

Innovation comes from inside you. Ideas, inspiration and innovation only seem to come from outside you, but they don’t. They always come from inside you. The only exception is small teams…but only intimate groups in real time in the real world, never large-scale or online collaborations.

It comes from obsession. Albert Einstein believed light was special, unique. He was obsessed with light. Elon Musk is obsessed with manned space travel and electric cars, among other things. Every successful founder was inspired by obsession. If you’re obsessed, you never need to be inspired by anything else.

Innovation comes from history. Microprocessor architecture comes almost entirely from the way mainframe and minicomputers were designed decades ago. So much innovation comes from ancient history it isn’t funny. Why reinvent the wheel when you don’t have to?

It comes from perseverance. Steve Jobs said, “You’ve got to have an idea or a problem or a wrong that you want to right that you’re passionate about, otherwise you’re not going to have the perseverance to stick it through. I think that’s half the battle right there.”

Innovation comes from focus, discipline and patience. These days, everyone is obsessed with squeezing every ounce of personal productivity and self-improvement out of themselves. That only takes you further away from innovation. Innovation comes from focusing on one thing and letting everything else fade to black. It’s the big picture that drives you and that’s also what drives you to come up with unique solutions to tough problems.

It comes from the need to prove yourself. The human mind is surprisingly powerful, especially in terms of the need to prove yourself. While it usually manifests early in life, the motivation tends to stick with us and often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It doesn’t even seem to matter if you know to whom you’re proving yourself – your father, yourself or teachers who said you’d never amount to anything.

Innovation comes from your subconscious. Brilliant ideas often come when you least expect them or when you’re not even paying attention. They may come to us in dreams, during meditation, in the shower, or when we’re otherwise preoccupied with some menial or repetitive task that allows our deeper emotions and thoughts to engage. And no, distracting yourself with games or social media does not qualify.

It comes from identifying problems. Granted, there has to be a solution but the problem comes first and foremost. The reason is simple. Without a pressing problem, there’s no real need of a solution. And until you correctly identify the problem, your solution is suspect and lacking innovation. Always focus on the problem. What do people need or want to do that they can’t currently do or do cost-effectively?

The most important thing to know about innovation is that it’s not the same as invention. We might even go as far as to say that, in the world of startups, invention is sort of immaterial. Just come up with problems that need to be solved and solutions that are unique and that people can actually use. More often than not, that will do the trick.

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By Eric M. Ruiz

I was in California last weekend for a wedding. I took advantage of my time on the left coast to travel 3.5 hours north to see my family. My brother and sister happened to be in town as well, so for the first time since May, all five members of the Ruiz family were gathered.

I had the chance to spend some quality time with my sister Mary, who’s the youngest in the family, and she filled me in on what she’s been up to since her graduation in May.

The more we spoke, the more I could feel the anxiety in her voice as she reiterated time and time again that she had no idea what to do.

“You love business and technology and Miguel loves medicine,” she said, referring to my younger brother. “What do I have?”

I understood her frustration. I had the exact same feeling of inadequacy and anxiety when I graduated. But what I wanted to make clear to my beloved sister last weekend — and now to others out there grappling with their careers — is that most people have no idea what they want to do.

I envy the likes of Kobe Bryant, Leo Messi and LeBron James — not because of their celebrity status but because at an early age they figured out exactly what they wanted to do. And they started doing it.

For most people, it takes years or decades to find a calling, a passion or a field. There is no real timeline for when someone will figure things out or will finally arrive at an endeavor she will love. But the only way to get there is by trying many things. A passion or calling just doesn’t manifest itself.

A person cannot simply think his way to clarity. He has to try things.

Contrary to my sister’s initial belief, I wasn’t born knowing that I wanted to work in an entrepreneurial environment or that I wanted to be a writer. And my brother Miguel did not know that he wanted to pursue medicine. But we each had inklings about our interest in these fields.

Many people have an inkling, a bit of curiosity that pushes them, say, to explore something or look it up on the Internet.

“The possession of a particular talent is instinctively sensed by its owner, so if any of you are blessed you will be the first to know it,” the Stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote centuries ago in Discourses and Selected Writings.

“It is true however, that no bull reaches maturity in an instant, nor do men become heroes over night,” Epictetus continued. “We must endure a winter’s training, and can’t be dashing into situations for which we aren’t yet prepared.”

So pursue that curiosity. Only then will it be possible to a passion or a field of possible career interest.

During the months after I graduated college, I read about or tried my hand at the following pursuits: online marketing, English as a second language teaching, graduate school, banking, starting a business and soccer coaching. (I’m sure I’m forgetting a few things.) I didn’t like some of them, I hated others and I failed at many.

But what spoke to me (even after a failure) was entrepreneurship and the startup world. I just had to get involved. And my devouring of book after book, podcast after podcast and setting off for meeting after meeting seemed to confirm something at a deep level inside: I really liked this field.

This was both an empowering and a humbling feeling. The more I learned, the more excited I became. But the more I learned, the more I realized that I didn’t know anything.

It’s that dichotomy that pushed me forward to ask questions, meet people and explore this business side of me. It’s an ongoing process, one that takes time, patience and discipline.

Only by asking questions and trying new things can people really get to where they want to be. It’s not going to be just handed to them. Be brave and get after it.

So, graduates, try things. Try many things. Maybe it’s too late to be an NBA star but it’s possible to discover, or rediscover, a desire, a passion, a calling, an invitation.

1.    Don’t Go It Alone

No question, it can be intimidating to go solo in a professional setting. You’re putting yourself out there with potentially serious ramifications for your career. Instead, it can be helpful to have a friend to watch your back and advocate on your behalf.

At networking events or professional conferences, the ice between making new contacts can be too thick to break on your own. Working as a team doubles your chances of being seen and heard.

2.    Keep Your Eyes Open

When in a group conversation, a lot of seasoned professionals will maintain a conversation but as they’re talking, they’re also scanning the room for people who might want to join the group, but aren’t sure how. There’s no reason why you can’t do the same when you see someone you know struggling to join the conversation.

3.    Protect Your Credibility

It’s important to be an advocate for others, especially when they’ll return the favor for you, but be cautious about putting your credibility on the line.  As a young professional, you don’t have the stock to vouch for just anybody if they truly aren’t a good fit.

Whoever you bring into the group conversation is a reflection on you and your credibility. If you bring in someone who fits in perfectly, you’ve just established yourself even more. But bring in someone who appears incompetent and the group is going to think you’re no better.

4.    Start Positive

When you have an “in” with a group, start off by making a good impression. Chime in to the conversation when somebody says something you agree with so you can engage on a positive note.

You can play contrarian later, after you’ve developed some rapport, but a simple affirmation helps set the right tone for the conversation and ensures the group you’re not out to second guess them on every topic.

5.    Watch the Group’s Dynamics

In most circumstances, it’ll be easy to tell whether the group wants you in or wants you to move along. If you stumble upon a group that is close-knit, they might not want to include you right away. Don’t force yourself on them if they’re not welcoming.

If the members don’t step back to include you in the circle after several minutes of standing nearby and a few attempts to join the conversation, look elsewhere.

6.    Start Now

Networking and personal interaction in a professional setting doesn’t come easily to most people. But the data shows it’s still expected of you. Failing to practice can hurt your chances at landing a job or moving up the corporate ladder.

It’s best to start early. People expect young professionals to come off a little awkward and unpolished, at first, because it’s a new experience. Most people will be empathetic to nerves when you first start out. However, if you’re 45-55 years old and still learning the ropes, people might question your interpersonal skills.

Take advantage of the leniency while it’s granted, or your friend might soon outrank you.

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