The Myths of Innovation

Great ideas, far from arriving in a flash of inspiration, are built like a puzzle – piece by piece, over time.

1. Great Ideas Don’t Strike like Lightning

Innovative ideas aren’t the result of a sudden epiphany but are formed through years of dedication, effort, and incremental progress. The tale of Isaac Newton and the falling apple is often told as though his idea of gravity struck him in an instant, but this story is more myth than fact. Newton’s theories were developed through continual exploration and study, combining smaller insights into a revolutionary theory.

The term "epiphany" harks back to religious roots, suggesting moments of divine truth revealed unexpectedly. Today, many still cling to this romantic notion, falsely believing that monumental breakthroughs come from such random inspiration. However, believing in this myth can hinder creative efforts, as it ignores the true labor and time involved in innovative processes.

Tim Berners-Lee’s creation of the World Wide Web exemplifies how big ideas take time. Over nearly 40 years, he and others contributed to the technological steps that culminated in its invention. These developments weren’t born of spontaneous inspiration but were a result of patience and persistence.

Examples

• The story surrounding Newton's apple exaggerates how new ideas develop.
• The concept of “epiphany” implies inspiration is out of one’s control, discouraging effort.
• Decades of work by Berners-Lee and predecessors led to the World Wide Web.

2. Creativity Thrives on Quantity, Not Perfection

To cultivate innovative ideas, focus on generating a wealth of concepts, rather than seeking perfection at the start. New ideas rarely come fully developed; they evolve through refinement and iteration. However, many struggle with this concept, expecting innovation to arrive neatly wrapped.

Innovators like Henry Ford illustrate this process. Early versions of his cars were unsatisfactory, plagued by inefficiencies and awkward designs. Yet Ford embraced the messy, imperfect nature of innovation and refined his craft over time. This persistence led to groundbreaking improvements in the automobile industry.

Creative masters like Beethoven and Hemingway show similar behaviors. Beethoven compulsively recorded musical ideas, while Hemingway constantly rewrote his stories. This ongoing creation and revision process helped them bring their best work to light.

Examples

• Henry Ford’s initial vehicle designs were inefficient but improved over time.
• Beethoven noted down every idea to save inspiration for later use.
• Hemingway continuously rewrote his works to enhance their quality.

3. Innovation Is a Team Effort

We often associate innovations with individual genius, but most breakthroughs result from the collaboration of multiple minds. While figures like Thomas Edison are celebrated for their inventions, many contributions went unrecognized. For example, the electric light bulb owes much to inventors Humphry Davy and Joseph Swan, whose efforts predated Edison’s work.

This misconception is reinforced by societal tendencies and legal systems, like patent laws, which credit single individuals or small groups for innovations. Yet history shows that many scientific ideas emerge simultaneously due to collective thinking. Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, for example, independently developed calculus at the same time.

Even celebrated achievements like the moon landing took the work of hundreds of thousands of people. Neil Armstrong is hailed as the figurehead, yet the success of the mission depended on a vast network of contributors.

Examples

• The light bulb’s development owed much to Davy and Swan.
• Newton and Leibniz separately discovered calculus yet worked independently.
• Over 500,000 people supported the Apollo moon landing project.

4. People Resist Change

Contrary to what one might believe, society often rejects new ideas, even brilliant ones. Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone was dismissed as a toy, and George Lucas faced widespread rejection for his Star Wars script. This skepticism stems from a natural fear of change, as humans find comfort in familiar routines and experiences.

Major stressful life events involve significant change – like marriage, moving to a new home, or losing a job. These examples show how deeply change unsettles people and explains why fresh concepts are often met with hesitation. Even when an idea has evident merit, people’s first instinct is to doubt it.

To overcome this reluctance, innovators need strategies like offering small samples to ease users into embracing new things. For instance, tea bags and test drives introduced unfamiliar products in approachable, non-threatening ways.

Examples

• Bell’s telephone was deemed unfit for practical communication.
• Introducing tea bags encouraged people to try new brewing methods.
• Car test drives provide safe ways to experience something novel.

5. Management Bias Against Innovation

The modern workplace often stifles creativity. Many managers are resistant to groundbreaking ideas because innovation challenges their authority and the expertise they’ve accumulated. For instance, managers in propeller-aircraft companies resisted jet engines, fearing the obsolescence of their knowledge and routines.

Historically, even respected individuals have failed to recognize genius ideas. Lord Kelvin once declared flying machines an impossibility, dismissing early airplane concepts. Similarly, telegraph managers were among the last to adopt telephone technology, seeing it as irrelevant.

The professional hierarchy can deter employees from proposing bold innovations, making it imperative for individuals to persist through rejection. Innovators like Einstein and Hawking pursued their ideas despite entrenched systems.

Examples

• Kelvin doubted the viability of flying machines.
• Propeller-airplane managers resisted using jet engines.
• Telegraph companies didn’t adopt telephones initially.

6. Great Ideas Need the Right Timing

Innovation is often dependent on external factors, including cultural acceptance and societal context. The belief that the best idea will inherently prevail overlooks these crucial influences. A winning idea must fit its surroundings to truly succeed.

Consider firearms, which were invented in China but advanced much more rapidly in Europe. Cultural perspectives on honor in battle led to their slower adoption in certain parts of Asia. Another example lies in the slow initial adoption of the steam engine, which waited for innovators to package it attractively.

Successful innovators ponder not just their technology, but also the readiness of society to welcome it. Understanding the broader landscape is key to ensuring growth.

Examples

• Guns adapted faster in Europe due to cultural differences.
• Steam engine adoption relied on proper marketing.
• New restaurant closures often reflect poor contextual fit, not lack of quality.

Takeaways

1. Avoid searching for “perfect” ideas upfront; create freely and refine gradually.
2. Ensure new ideas are accessible by offering samples, trials, or demonstrations.
3. Take societal and cultural contexts into account when presenting innovations.