Originality…
Is not rewarded. We teach people to follow the rules (the ones that are already there.) I have had a lot of ideas that some people really hated because they felt threatened by how things may change for them, and that was more important to them than how they could be better for someone else.
Has lots of roots. Just ask a musician about his influences. They are usually surprising and diverse. We borrow. We blend. We add our own little twist.
Does not require genius. Child prodigies and geniuses usually do something really well, but they don’t create something new. It’s not the ability to mimic, but to create.
Rejects the default. Some people believe there has to be a better way. If everything is cool, you will not create.
Takes courage. The deck is stacked against anything original.
I am thinking about these things as I read Originals by Adam Grant.
