Novelty Gets Likes, Innovation Changes Lives.  Wanna know the difference?

The marketing teams foul us! They want our likes and engagement. They don’t care about changing the world. Just string together all the hooks - “Our new innovative improved revolutionary award winning product”. Any of them might trigger…

When someone really introduces an “innovation” slash “revolution”, the major reaction is disbelief, anger, humiliation or laughter at best. It’s hard for an innovator. So he is often quiet and lonely in his shiso, dismantling the status quo.

So, how to separate true innovation from the pretenders?

1. Mastery Matters: Impersonator tries to oppose the basics of the industry without mastering the basics himself. Basics lay the foundation for professional intuition. Eventually, you might forget “the numbers”, but your intuition remains. At that point, you know when and why you can break the rules, and what the cost will be.

2. Controversy is Key: “Fake” innovation sounds like a sure bet. You are not questioning the inventor's sanity. If it sounds safe and logical, it’s probably just novelty in disguise. 

3. High Stakes: True innovation either proclaims to transform the underlying subject or fades in the abyss. It either makes the conservatives in the subject look like aborigines with stone weapons or exposes the innovator to the fire of inquisition. The innovator is allin. “Tweakable” innovations are just novelties designed to blend in. 

Remember: Easy acceptance often signals a lack of originality. True innovation is more likely to make you uncomfortable – and that discomfort is a sign that something potentially groundbreaking is on the horizon.

No matter what you do or for how long you’ve done it, you are likely a professional in a subject or two. I want you to question yourself: “Which 'rule' in your industry needs to be broken?”

Thanks for reading!

p.s. Have a strong feeling or idea about this week’s newsletter? Hit reply, we always respond!