From time to time every people want to become famous, respected and rich. And while thinking about ways to realize this essential dreams often several people come to the same thought. It is - "Why I can't invent something extraordinary?" I had the same situation in my life so I can share with my experience.
The first YOU SHOULDN'T invent something new! Indeed for what you will rack your brains trying to invent something new. Just look around yourself and find some generally known thing, nobody mentioned before because it is very simple. And try to improve it.
Second, if you want to have the reputation of progressive person just try to replace hand work to mechanical one. It is quite easy to find people who work by hands and to replace it by machine. Replace it totally - make mechanical hand ;)
Good luck on the hard way of invention!