Creativity, Curiosity, and the Corpse Flower

This morning, I changed my routine and did something unexpected: a quick detour to see a Corpse Flower in bloom at the Mass Horticultural Society in Wellesley, MA.

If you’ve never seen a Corpse Flower, it’s rare. It blooms just once every few years, and only for a single day.

This one is fondly called Eliza; however, its scientific name is Amorphophallus Titanum, and seeing it felt like a reminder that beautiful, strange, and fleeting things are always worth the pause. Thank you Wheaton College for loaning it to Mass Horticultural Society at Elm Bank.

I didn’t expect a botanical marvel to kick off my Monday, but the quick visit left me energized, and it was a reminder that inspiration doesn’t have to come from your category to be valuable.

It’s often the outside insight that unlocks new ideas, better questions, or a smarter next step.

Whether I’m designing a shoe, advising on strategy, or building a process that works better for a creative team, observation and curiosity are where it all starts.

So, here’s my question to you:
Where do you go when you need unexpected inspiration?

(And yes, the flower’s aroma lives up to its nickname... but it was still absolutely worth it.)