I was just reading this list of the world’s most famous inventions, and I found a common thread between them. Here it is: Great inventions bring the world together.

When you’re thinking about creating your next invention, ask, “How can I make it easier to bring people / resources together?” The more people / resources you connect, the bigger your potential market.

One way to remember this is to package the concept in a “trigger.” I recommend the word: CONNECT. When you’re brainstorming think about what to CONNECT, who to CONNECT, where to CONNECT, etc. This framework will help inventors save time and maximize their creative impact.