Veteran Creative Thinking: Unlocking Innovation and Success with Bob Sager
Introduction
Military service shapes men and women into leaders with discipline, resilience, and mission focus. Yet when the time comes to transition into civilian life, many veterans face challenges in translating their skills into new careers or entrepreneurial ventures. This is where the power of veteran creative thinking comes into play. By combining discipline with imagination, veterans can thrive in business, leadership, and personal growth.
In a compelling episode of VET S.O.S. Presents The Scoop, host Kingsley Scott sits down with Bob Sager, founder of Spearpoint Solutions, innovation trainer, author, and game inventor. Bob shares transformative lessons from his books 101 Freaking Brilliant Business Ideas and More Freaking Brilliant Ideas. His insights highlight how veterans can apply creative thinking methods to build meaningful careers and create lasting legacies.
This blog explores the conversation’s highlights — from the importance of legacy to practical frameworks for innovation — showing how veterans can use creative thinking as their greatest competitive advantage.
Making Your Dash Count: Veteran Legacy and Purpose
One of the most resonant themes from the discussion was legacy. Bob explains that his work is driven by one word: legacy. He doesn’t want his life to be reduced to two dates on a gravestone — instead, he wants his “dash” to count.
Kingsley related this to his deployment in Afghanistan, where he lived by the phrase: “Make your dash count.” For him, it meant returning home safely while ensuring his time made an impact.
For veterans, this message is powerful. Transitioning out of service is not just about finding a job — it’s about redefining purpose. Through veteran creative thinking, individuals can design careers and lives that extend their legacy beyond the uniform.
Overcoming Limiting Beliefs: The Six Devils of Limitation
Bob SagerBob introduces the concept of the six devils of limitation: fear, doubt, discouragement, conflict, greed, and envy. These obstacles act like storm clouds that prevent people from seeing opportunities.
Veterans know these devils well. Doubt surfaces when resumes don’t get responses. Fear arises when entering an unfamiliar industry. Discouragement grows after repeated rejection. But Bob argues that creative thinking allows us to rise above these clouds.
By reframing problems and seeking new solutions, veterans can transform setbacks into opportunities. This is where veteran creative thinking becomes not just a skill, but a survival tool for thriving in civilian life.
Lessons from 101 Brilliant Business Ideas
Bob’s book, 101 Freaking Brilliant Business Ideas, compiles over 1,000 creative concepts he developed and tested. He paired them with scientific creative thinking methods to help others replicate the process.
One concept — “Work for Free” — struck a chord with Kingsley. At first, working for free may sound like exploitation. But Bob reframes it: sometimes offering your skills without immediate pay demonstrates value, builds trust, and leads to long-term opportunities.
Kingsley lived this firsthand. After his military service, he began as an unpaid intern, which eventually led to director-level positions. His journey shows that veteran creative thinking often means taking unconventional steps to open new doors.
The Five Forms of Wealth
Another framework Bob shares is the Five Forms of Wealth:
Money
Time
Satisfaction
Relationships
Health
Veterans often prioritize financial security after leaving service, but true wealth extends beyond money. Without health, time, or fulfilling relationships, financial success feels hollow. By using creative thinking, veterans can design balanced lives that prioritize all five forms of wealth.
This broader perspective ensures that career choices are not just profitable but sustainable and meaningful.
Harnessing Social Currency and Crowdsourcing
Bob also dives into crowdsourcing and the value of social currency. For example, businesses can provide customers with shareable coupon codes that drive new sales. Customers benefit by looking helpful to friends, while businesses gain exposure without expensive advertising.
Veterans can apply the same principle to networking. Sharing value — whether it’s job leads, mentorship, or insights — builds social currency. This strengthens personal brands and opens pathways to professional growth. Veteran creative thinking in networking means recognizing that giving value often brings opportunities back in return.
The Power of Three: Simplicity Wins
Humans love patterns, especially in threes. Bob emphasizes the Power of Three in communication. Famous examples include “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” or simplifying surveys to just three questions.
For veterans entering the workforce, this is a reminder that clarity and simplicity are powerful. Whether crafting resumes, delivering presentations, or pitching ideas, concise communication often makes a stronger impact than lengthy explanations.
By applying veteran creative thinking, service members can distill their complex experiences into simple, memorable messages that resonate with employers and clients.
Outrunning the Bear: Continuous Innovation
Bob’s story of McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish illustrates the concept of outrunning the bear. A Cincinnati franchisee created the sandwich to meet local Catholic demand. Despite corporate resistance, the product became a permanent menu item.
The lesson: sometimes, competition isn’t external — it’s our own outdated habits. Veterans must disrupt themselves, rethinking how they approach careers and challenges. In today’s hypercompetitive world, continuous innovation is essential.
Through veteran creative thinking, individuals can shift from following old paradigms to becoming disruptors who create opportunities where none existed.
KEI: Knowledge, Experience, Imagination in the Age of AI
Looking to the future, Bob introduces the KEI Formula — Knowledge, Experience, Imagination. Knowledge and experience are important, but imagination is what sets individuals apart.
With artificial intelligence reshaping industries, imagination-driven innovation is the differentiator. Veterans bring unique knowledge from service and real-world leadership experience. By applying imagination, they can create solutions others overlook.
This is the heart of veteran creative thinking: using structured innovation methods to combine past experience with forward-looking imagination, ensuring relevance in a rapidly evolving economy.
Gamifying Creativity: What’s the Big Idea?
To make creative thinking fun, Bob developed the game What’s the Big Idea? It uses combinatorial play and other creative methods to help teams generate innovative solutions.
For veterans, this game-like approach shows that learning doesn’t always have to be formal or rigid. Engaging in playful, team-oriented exercises can unlock hidden creativity and build confidence. It also mirrors the collaborative environments many veterans thrived in during service.
Practical Quotes for Daily Success
Bob concludes with two favorite quotes that perfectly capture the spirit of veteran resilience and creative thinking:
Henry Ford: “If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”
Arthur Ashe: “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”
These quotes serve as guiding lights for veterans. Instead of waiting for ideal conditions, the path forward is to believe in possibility, start small, and build momentum.
Conclusion
The conversation between Kingsley Scott and Bob Sager highlights the immense potential of veteran creative thinking. For those transitioning out of the military, it offers both a mindset and a toolkit for success.
By making your dash count, overcoming limiting beliefs, embracing unconventional strategies, and applying frameworks like KEI, veterans can not only adapt but lead in civilian careers. True success comes from blending discipline with imagination, creating opportunities that extend beyond individual gain and build lasting legacies.
In a world where innovation is the ultimate currency, veteran creative thinking is the edge that transforms challenges into breakthroughs.
