If i wanted to become an inventor of sorts, how could i?

Question

i was thinking a possible career choice for my future would be to sit down and have ideas about new technologies, inventing new transports and the like without actually building them because im not very mechanical. does this mean i want to be an engineer? i dont really know what kind of classification this would give me, or if firms out there hire people for this, or what i should be studying, so any help would be useful.

Answer 1

You need a good knowledge base, and experience, AND the right type of mind before you can invent. Very few people have both.

Some one with the knowledge and experience alone is just an engineer. Some one with the right type of mind and not the knowledge is just a tinkerer who fiddles and makes nothing better than perpetual motion machines that don't work.

There are very few inventors that actually make money at it.

Companies do not hire inventors. They will hire research engineers, research chemists, etc. if they have the proper education and experience.

Answer 2

It is kinda difficult, because your competition may be pretty good at mechanical stuff.  You should find out what you are particularly good at - are you good with people?  are you artistic?  do you communicate well?

One way to find out is by taking a few 'aptitude tests'.  Your school may have one, or may know where to take one (just ask).  Answer the test questions honestly, and see what the test results are.  They are usually a pretty good indicator of what you're good at or like to do.

You'll know you're on the right track when you like doing something and don't get tired of it, and want to know everything you can find out about a subject, and are convinced it is more important than anything: otherwise, you will lack patience.  

One of my friends became a multi-millionaire baking cookies for a specialty market - all because he loved baking.  He was willing to get up early every day to bake cookies and deliver them in his truck to each store.  Eventually he sold into Wal-Mart, Costco, Safeway, and other big stores - it took several years but he didn't get tired of it because he liked it, and it was something HE wanted to do.

Inventing stuff is OK, but you should like doing mechanical stuff more than anything - so find out what you like doing more than anything else!  You can become successful in anything you like doing (even baking cookies!)