Innovation Comes from Curiosity, Not Boredom

There has been some debate in recent years about whether we are too "entertained." Thanks to technology, we have an infinite amount of distractions and entertainment sources to occupy our minds, leaving us with very little time to sit back and be bored. Some argue that this limits free thinking and, therefore, innovation.

But is that the case?

I take a contrarian viewpoint on this.

Innovation doesn't come from boredom but rather from curiosity. You need to be bored to think freely or to innovate. Instead, you need to foster a habit of curiosity. The most important question you can ask is why. For me, my curiosity is insatiable, and I find that the instant I get bored, my mind is off to the races chasing something new to learn about, discover, or just try.  It's hard for me to imagine that I can't even think of the last time I was bored.

"To create, one must first question everything. Never adopt someone else's conclusion without putting it to the test of your own reasoning and imagination." - Eileen Gray

True breakthroughs come when I follow my curiosity across seemingly unrelated topics. My curiosity always takes me down interesting paths, and periodically, I find these fascinating intersections where a light bulb goes off. In business, a key factor in innovation and discovering solutions is being curious about what you want to see as a solution. To truly innovate you need to stay curious and think big—on a macro level from all aspects of your business, industry, or problem.

A fantastic real-world example of this intersection is blockchain technology and stablecoins. That innovation emerged from individuals exploring the history of money and banking systems rather than simply asking customers what they wanted. In my experience, innovation stems from personal frustration. People who are personally unhappy with existing systems and tools are the ones who create revolutionary solutions.

This is the approach I take. I strive to design systems that give people the freedom and choice that  I value myself. If I want to use it, I can bet there are other people who want to use it, too. My one caveat is that this approach does not mean I am assuming my perspective is universal, but rather, I am using my own desires as a starting point for exploration instead of making incremental improvements to existing systems. As I've often found, customers don't know what they want because they don't know what's possible.

My insatiable curiosity is at the core of this approach. Just like reading makes you a better writer, following seemingly incongruent trains of thought has always been a mind expanding experience. And sometimes the most unexpected topics prove to be useful in another area of life, leading to unexpected innovation.

What really makes this curiosity practice even more powerful is the addition of tech tools, like AI. We'll never be able to replicate unique human intuition and creativity with machines, but AI is an incredible tool to bounce ideas off of and explore paths you didn't realize were there. Machine learning technology, when paired with curious, creative human thinking, will help bring in unbelievable breakthroughs. I've seen firsthand the compounding effect that AI tools have had on creativity and curiosity, building an even bigger arsenal of thoughts that lead to innovation.

My only caution is that AI can only do so much, and it'll reflect what it thinks is the "correct" answer,  so as I've said, use it as a tool, not an authority. I believe the most powerful innovations will come from a partnership of human curiosity, asking "why" and exploring intersections between fields, industries, and ideas, complemented by AI's ability to process vast amounts of information and make connections we might miss.

We're seeing this convergence across numerous areas. One exciting area that doesn't get quite as much attention is medicine. Scientists are working with AI to do research work that is steering their thinking in entirely new directions. Expect major healthcare breakthroughs not in decades but in the span of a few years (or even months).

That combination of human creativity with powerful tools is where the unique innovation blossoms; not in boredom, not in focus groups, but in that fearless exploration of what's possible if we take a curious approach to life and the problems that frustrate us most.

Stay curious, my friends! Not bored.

#BreakingOutOfAverage #Innovation #Technology #AI #Curiosity