Disrupt Yourself

"Don’t just take risks—take the right ones." This book reveals how disrupting yourself can lead to breakthroughs both professionally and personally.

1. The Value of Embracing Market Risk

Taking risks is critical, but understanding what kinds of risks to take is vital to success. Competitive risks occur when your idea already has demand, but rivals may match or beat you to the market. Market risks, on the other hand, involve creating something unique without knowing if there’s any current demand.

Market risks may appear more daunting since the outcome is unpredictable, but they often yield higher rewards. For example, Clayton Christensen’s research on disc drive companies revealed that 37% of businesses taking market risks achieved significant success, while only 6% of those taking competitive risks did.

By betting on untapped opportunities, you effectively place your company ahead of its competitors. Choosing market risks identifies you as a disruptor rather than a follower.

Examples

• Clayton Christensen’s study on the tech industry’s bold moves.
• Companies that developed groundbreaking products like the iPod or Netflix.
• Entrepreneurs who venture into untested markets and redefine industries.

2. Discover and Leverage Your Unique Strengths

Success begins with identifying your unique capabilities and aligning them with a gap in the market. Just as koalas thrive by eating what no one else can, your "distinctive strength" allows you to excel where others falter.

Consider Hassan from The Hundred-Foot Journey. He combined Indian and French cuisines to satisfy underserved tastes, propelling his restaurant to fame. Similarly, Jayne Juvan used her knowledge of social media to elevate her law firm’s profile, becoming a partner at 32.

Tapping into your own "superpower" and connecting it to unmet needs opens doors that traditional strategies may overlook.

Examples

• Hassan using fusion cuisine to attract customers in a conservative town.
• Jayne Juvan spotting a social media gap in the legal field.
• Entrepreneurs identifying strengths mismatched with current market needs.

3. Limitations Drive Innovation and Creativity

Constraints, whether they involve money, time, or skill, often fuel ingenuity. With fewer resources, you’re forced to think outside the box and create more efficient solutions.

This was apparent in Nick Jekogian’s real estate firm, where a tight budget motivated employees to work meticulously. Likewise, Athelia Woolley LeSueur’s lack of fashion experience helped her bypass costly intermediaries and create a thriving clothing brand, Shabby Apple, from scratch.

Instead of dwelling on limitations, use them to inspire innovative strategies for overcoming obstacles.

Examples

• Nick Jekogian’s lean-budget business thriving under pressure.
• Athelia skipping traditional steps to save money in her fashion venture.
• Start-ups in Entrepreneur magazine showing that 72% lack external funding yet find success.

4. Avoid Intellectual and Cultural Arrogance

Sticking to familiar ideas and circles can lead to stagnation. True innovation comes from opening yourself to diverse perspectives and rejecting the idea that you already have all the answers.

The Kellogg School study revealed researchers using a mix of traditional and unconventional sources produced better work, demonstrating the power of stepping outside one’s comfort zone. Conversely, leaders like Alan Greenspan ignored outside warnings, contributing to the 2008 financial crisis.

Keeping an open mind helps you see problems—and solutions—that others might miss.

Examples

• Kellogg study linking diverse academic sources to greater impact.
• Alan Greenspan ignoring Brooksley Born’s advice, leading to financial fallout.
• Companies sourcing ideas globally to improve products and strategies.

5. Strategic Career Moves Can Redefine Your Path

Sometimes stepping down or starting over is necessary to move forward. Knowing when to make these moves can set you up for greater opportunities.

Carine Clark left her secure marketing role at Novell to join a tech start-up, Altiris, which was later acquired for billions. Even when personal challenges forced her to delay her career, Clark returned stronger, founding another successful business.

Change—even when unplanned—can present new avenues for growth and advancement.

Examples

• Carine Clark shifting from Novell to a start-up.
• Revitalizing her career after battling breast cancer.
• Entrepreneurs who pivot after setbacks to forge new successes.

6. Fail Forward: Lessons in Resilience

Failure isn’t a dead end; it’s a teacher. Those who use missteps as learning opportunities are often the ones who achieve lasting accomplishments.

Carol Dweck’s studies on fifth graders showed that those praised for effort, rather than intelligence, performed better after failure. Similarly, Nate Quigley’s failed ventures led to Chatbooks, a highly successful family photo-sharing service.

Failures reveal what doesn’t work, guiding innovators to refine ideas for greater success.

Examples

• Carol Dweck’s research on the importance of praising effort over smarts.
• Nate Quigley iterating through FolkStory and JustFamily before succeeding with Chatbooks.
• Entrepreneurs revisiting failed attempts to improve and prosper.

7. Nurture a Spirit of Discovery

Careers rarely follow a straight path. Staying curious and open to new ideas allows you to navigate changes and keep growing.

Linda Descano transitioned from geology to environmental consulting, and later to legal and financial roles, ultimately becoming a Citigroup blogger. She thrived by embracing every opportunity to learn and adapt.

Flexibility in both mindset and strategy often leads to unthought-of opportunities.

Examples

• Linda Descano’s career, shifting from geology to finance and content creation.
• Millennials pivoting between job roles to match their evolving interests.
• Companies repurposing products for unexpected success, like Millennium Pharmaceuticals did with cancer treatments.

8. Redefining Your Personal Brand

Your career doesn’t just consist of a title or job description but hinges on your personal brand. Reinventing yourself sets the stage for success.

For instance, Whitney Johnson herself disrupted her career by leaving investment banking to become a leading thinker on self-disruption. Her ability to re-envision her skills changed her trajectory entirely.

Reinvention is a continuous process that lets you stay competitive while adapting to change.

Examples

• Whitney Johnson shifting from investments to thought leadership.
• Mid-career professionals successfully transitioning industries.
• Building personal brands by blending unique skills with forward-looking goals.

9. Flexibility Beats Rigid Planning

Life and business often deviate from set plans. An adaptable strategy enables you to pivot when unexpected opportunities arise.

Millennium Pharmaceuticals began with genetic treatments and later pivoted to cancer drugs after recognizing a new demand. This flexibility led to their impeccable results with Velcade.

Being too rigid with plans can hold you back from pursuing emergent possibilities.

Examples

• Millennium Pharmaceuticals retooling their focus to create Velcade.
• Companies evolving their business models based on customer needs.
• Individuals changing career paths after unexpected life changes.

Takeaways

1. Take market risks. Pursue ideas that fill unmet needs rather than moving into oversaturated areas.
2. See limitations as opportunities to innovate. Constraints can fuel success if approached creatively.
3. Keep learning and remain adaptable. Be open to unexpected changes that lead to better opportunities.