Lessons of the Square Watermelon - Discussion   

The original article about what we can learn from the square watermelon was posted in June of 2008 under a “Thought Provoking” category of the website hardknoxlife.com.  I’m not sure who the author is as I would really like to give credit for the article where credit is due.

The author first confirmed that square watermelons are a reality…no mystery here…  This product was a solution to a problem of lack of space in grocery stores (although I had also read it was due to smaller refrigerators in Japan) and that round melons take up considerable more space.  The bottom line is that it was a practical response to a real problem that existed.

The surprising thing is that coming up with this creative solution by the watermelon farmers was not that difficult at all.  However, the impact in more efficient use of space and cost savings in shipping the melons was substantial, not withstanding the introduction of a unique product in the marketplace.  It was a win-win-win situation for business, farmers and consumers.

But the lessons gained by the greater population are that the square watermelon has become a metaphor for a new thinking, innovation and change.

The first lesson we learned is to think out of the box.  This lesson teaches us to not take things for granted; not because things were done in a particular way in the past means it is best way to do it now or in the future.  We should be independent thinkers seeking solution to today’s challenges.  For example, if you are unemployed (or even if you are employed) can you use your knowledge, interest, or skills in your own innovative entrepreneurial ventures instead of perpetually looking for employment and putting your own future in the hands of others?

The second lesson is to question our habits.  Because we are accustom to doing things a specific way we continue to do so, often at the expense of not getting what we really want.  For example, if we wish success in a particular area of our life we habitually continue the old, failed pattern and naively hoping for better outcomes…that is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” -- Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity.

The third lesson appeals to our in-built creativity.  Round watermelons pick up a lot of space whereas square are space efficient, so why not simply make them square?  Do you have a problem that could be solved by your stepping back and looking at it from different angles and then putting your creative self to work on it?  You might just surprise yourself of how creative you are…but you’ve got to step back and escape the “old” mindset.

The fourth lesson challenges us to look for a better way.  We are not perfect and the way things are done around us is not perfect.  We surely can look for better ways to improve ourselves and the world around us.  Furthermore, today’s technology seems to be offering us an endless supply of new tools that we can use to do things differently and more effectively.

The fifth and last lesson shows that the word ‘impossible’ should not be in our vocabulary.  As Henry Ford once said "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right."  This lesson goes deep into our mind to appeal to the smallest hint of confidence in our self because therein could lie the key to getting what we really want.

Who could have thought that the simple, humble square watermelon could have inspired such important thinking?  It was the last thing on my mind when I grew my square watermelon.  Yet, unconsciously I was somehow tapping into each of these lessons. 

You can find the original post of Lessons of the Square Watermelon here...