THE POWER MINDSET
The 9 Essential Mindsets for Successful Inventors
By Stephen Key & Kevin Prince
Every Great Invention Starts with a Simple Question:
“Can this be better?”
But even the best ideas can die on the vine without the right approach. Success in inventing doesn’t start with an idea, it starts with how you think about your idea. This book reveals the nine critical mindsets that successful inventors share, giving you the mental frameworks to move faster, make better decisions, and dramatically increase your chances of success.
The 9 Essential Mindsets
Optimistic Curiosity
More than just noticing a problem, it's the belief that solving it will make a difference for yourself, for others, and maybe even for the world. This mindset fuels inventors to keep going and ultimately succeed.
Relentless Experimentation
The simplest ideas often look effortless, but that simplicity is the result of countless hours of testing and thought. A playful mindset that never settles, always pushing toward a better solution.
Pragmatic Skepticism
Being curious enough to explore, cautious enough to question, and practical enough to pursue only what works. Question your assumptions while keeping an open mind to new possibilities.
Trust but Verify
Always assume good intentions, but double-check everything. When working on something that could change your life, you must stay on top of every detail and follow up constantly.
Compelling Communicator
Master the art of storytelling to express your invention's benefits in ways others instantly understand and get excited about. Clear communication and contagious passion drive people to take action.
Strategic Adaptability
The ability to adjust long-term plans and direction in response to changing circumstances without losing sight of your overall goal. Stay flexible without losing focus on your mission.
Execution Mentality
Not just talking about ideas, but actually shipping them. It is about taking action, getting results, and finishing what you start, no matter how messy or uncertain the process may be.
Protective Awareness
Understanding how, when, and why to use intellectual property tools strategically. Beyond protection, these tools can help you license, raise capital, and increase your company's valuation.
The Resolute Mindset
The determination to keep moving forward when the invention process becomes difficult, uncertain, or overwhelming. With clarity, discipline, resilience, and confidence, this turns knowledge into action and persistence into real results.
About The Authors
Stephen Key
Stephen Key has licensed his own inventions for decades. He’s had products endorsed by Michael Jordan, Alex Trebek, and Taylor Swift. He’s won two Edison Awards. He co-founded inventRight over 26 years ago, has written five books, published over a thousand articles in Forbes, Inc., and Entrepreneur, and has produced more than 1,200 videos on YouTube to help inventors learn for free. He knows what it feels like to sit across the table from a company and negotiate a licensing deal. He knows what it takes to get a product from concept to royalty check because he’s done it over and over.
Kevin Prince
Kevin Prince is a registered patent agent who has helped over 4,000 clients protect their ideas. More than 3,100 patents have been issued for his clients. He co-founded the Orange County Inventors Forum over 20 years ago and has been educating inventors there ever since. He’s also an inventor himself, named on five patents of his own. Kevin sees the legal and strategic side of inventing from the inside. He knows where people lose their rights before they even realize it. He knows what the patent office actually looks for and what it takes to build intellectual property that holds up.
Contributor
Courtney Laschkewitsch
Courtney Laschkewitsch brings the coaching perspective from years of working directly with inventors through inventRight. As an inventor who has licensed multiple products herself, she understands both the excitement that starts an idea and the frustration that can set in during the long middle stretch. Her contributions throughout this book draw from what she has seen repeatedly in coaching calls: the moments when inventors lose momentum, overthink obstacles, rediscover purpose, or turn a difficult problem into the very reason a company might want to license their idea.
What Inventors Are Saying
"This book doesn't just give you strategies, it transforms how you think about innovation. The nine mindsets are practical, proven frameworks that every inventor needs to master."
- Success Story from inventRight Community
“Very informative never knew this ☝️”
— Gustavo E.
“I have been watching the Mindset Series, and it is amazing!
I have just completed the first session. The knowledge I gained is useful not only in the invention process.
The mindset of positive curiosity can be applied to many other areas of life as well.
I am very grateful to all of you.”
— Pavel
“Stephen rocks!!!”
— Brian G.
Ready to Transform Your Inventor Mindset?
Whether your goal is to license your idea or build a business around it, these mindsets will help you navigate the ups and downs of the inventing journey with clarity and confidence.
