There are a lot of myths about innovation. And, not a single one involves chocolate.

On the contrary, perhaps one of the most satisfying suggestions about being innovative is to have a chocolate bar in your pocket. There’s concrete evidence that doing so had a huge impact on harnessing new technology into a product that had global impact. And we can thank Percy Spencer for the sweet lesson.

Percy was born in 1894 and had a difficult beginning as a child. When he was a baby, his father died, so his mother sent him to live with his aunt and uncle. Then when Percy was just seven, his uncle died. At the age of 12, Percy quit grammar school and began working 12-hour days in a local mill to support his aunt and himself. And that was the end of his formal education.

When he turned 18, Percy joined the Navy and while on night watch duty, he began reading whatever books he could find on the topic of wireless communication. He kept reading, and taught himself calculus, chemistry, physics and metallurgy.

After leaving the Navy, he went to work for Raytheon, and it was there in 1939 that Percy and his chocolate bar made a discovery that changed the world.

While he was working on a device called a magnetron, which is something that generates short-wave radio waves, Percy noticed the chocolate bar in his pocket melted whenever he stood in front of the equipment. He had no idea what caused this, but soon discovered that it was due to microwaves. So he began modifying the equipment and after several alterations – he built the first microwave oven.

So, chocolate is not only high in antioxidants and a cancer-fighting food, but it’s also fundamental to technology commercialization. I like it even more.

It certainly worked for Percy, who went on to receive 300 patents and receive numerous awards.  And all of this was accomplished without a formal education, but with a curious mind, a desire to self-educate and a chocolate bar.

So, take a bite out of your chocolate bar and consider these myths about innovation.

1.   The Lone Genius
The world is full of solo inventors, but it’s difficult to bring to market technology by working alone in the proverbial basement or garage. Collaboration, teamwork and feedback are often invaluable in creating something remarkable. Even if the initial idea originated from a visionary genius, having others contribute is essential to bringing a more evolved product to fruition. Marie Curie, Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell were all geniuses, and they worked alongside others.

2.    Innovation Happens Somewhere Else
For whatever reason, human nature often inclines people to think that great ideas or inventions happen “somewhere else.” The reality is that inspiration for the idea, as well as the blood, sweat and tears to bring the idea to life – can and do happen everywhere from A to Z. The Saturn V rocket was designed and built in Alabama, and the steamboat was invented in West Virginia.

3.    Innovation Happens in a Flash of Inspiration
Great ideas often happen in a flash, but execution doesn’t. Albert Einstein wrote in his Autobiographical Notes that when he was 16 years old, he wondered to himself what a light waveform would look like if he could observe a beam of light while traveling at the same speed. He said that thought experiment played a memorable role in his future and the development of the Theory of Relativity. While an idea or inspiration may come quickly, as it did for young Albert, the final solution (or product) typically takes significant effort and time to fully develop.

4.    Only Big Companies With Vast Resources Can Innovate
Actually, often it seems big companies are the least likely to innovate. Blockbuster Video could have come up with a better means of distributing DVDs (like startups Netflix and Redbox), but instead they went from nearly 60,000 employees and 9,000 stores to bankruptcy. Or why didn’t an Internet company of Google’s size and brainpower put several engineers on a project to create a text messaging based platform like Twitter. Or consider the once dominant Kodak and their lack of innovation in digital cameras. The list of big companies that failed to innovate goes on and on.

5.    You Need To Be Educated By a Prestigious University
Percy Spencer did not have an auspicious beginning, nor a formal education – yet he was a great innovator with over 300 patents. Benjamin Franklin was the son of a candle maker and had only two years of formal schooling, but he was ambitious, worked hard and was resourceful – and a great American inventor, scientist and statesman. Ralph Lauren dropped out of college and never went to fashion school – yet his designs are considered iconic and his business savvy established him as one of the wealthiest people in America. Thomas Edison had three months of formal schooling, and attained over 1,500 patents and founded 14 companies including General Electric. These aren’t rare instances.

“What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.” 

– Aristotle

6.    Your History Indicates Your Future Success
The world is full of countless examples of people who continued to invent and innovate, despite their earlier failures, until they succeeded.  It’s actually difficult to find successful innovators that didn’t repeatedly fail.

7.    You Can’t “Turn On” Innovative Thinking
Actually, to a large extent you can “turn on” creative thinking, and in fact many people and organizations do exactly that. Bell Labs, PARC, IDEO, Google, Nike, Apple and thousands more than the 50 listed here. Rather than wait for inspiration to strike, they work at being creative and then work even harder at bringing their idea to reality.

8.    Set Your Emotions Aside To Innovate
Emotions are integral to us as humans, and should be utilized in a manner that assists with creativity. Emotions can be increased through music or movement or visual imagery (real or imagined). Find what works best for you, and bring a measure of emotion to your work.

9.    A Stimulating Environment Will Stimulate Thinking
Actually, wherever you can think freely and deeply is the best place to innovate. You don’t need a pinball machine or a room full of beanbags nearby. Often simply going for a walk or brainstorming with a few colleagues is sufficient inspiration. And often, you just need to be inspired. J.K. Rowling came up with the idea for Harry Potter while riding on a noisy four-hour train ride.

10. The Best Innovations Are Entirely New Creations
On the contrary, some of the greatest inventions ever are the ones that combine things that haven’t been combined before. Combine a steam engine with steel wheels and you’ve created a locomotive train. Mix a telephone with a printer and you’ve got a fax machine. Marry wireless communication with a computer and you’ve got a smartphone.

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Tom loves building meaningful businesses and technology (with people who care). Reach him on Twitter @thomastriumph or tomtriumph.com.