Most people stay in their lane. They read the same sources, follow the same conversations, and surround themselves with the same perspectives. It’s comfortable—but it’s also a slow path to stagnation.
Breakthroughs don’t come from doing more of the same. They come from unexpected collisions of ideas.
The most innovative companies borrow ideas from industries no-one expects.
The “breakthrough leaders” constantly seek out new ways of thinking.
Disruptive ideas come from people who connect the dots before anyone else sees them.
If you’re only consuming information from your industry, you’re already behind.
Want to think faster? Want to spot new opportunities before everyone else? Expand your inputs. Seek out the ideas no one else is looking at. That’s where the breakthroughs happen….
How Thinking Ruts Kill Your Growth
They narrow your worldview. If all your inputs come from one industry, you start assuming its rules are universal.
They make you reactive, not innovative. You focus only on the problems in front of you, rather than seeing opportunities others miss.
They drain your creative energy. New ideas come from fresh connections—and if you’re only engaging with what’s familiar, those connections never happen.
The Best Ideas Come From the Outside
The iPhone’s touchscreen? Inspired by FingerWorks, a niche tech startup making assistive devices.
Netflix’s streaming model? Borrowed from the DVD rental subscription model of the 1990s.
Southwest Airlines’ business model? Inspired by efficiency principles from the automotive industry.
In each case, innovation didn’t come from looking inward. It came from looking outward.
How to Break Out of a Thinking Rut
1️⃣ Expand Your Inputs: Read books, listen to podcasts, and engage with people outside your industry. Ask, “How do they solve problems?”
2️⃣ Follow First Principles: Instead of assuming the way things are done is the only way, strip ideas down and rebuild them from scratch.
3️⃣ Talk to Unlikely People: Have conversations with artists, scientists, historians, and entrepreneurs in unrelated fields. Patterns emerge when you cross disciplines.
4️⃣ Expose Yourself to Contradictions: Read opposing viewpoints. Follow thinkers you disagree with. Curiosity lives in discomfort.
5️⃣ Treat Curiosity Like a Workout: The brain atrophies when it isn’t stretched. Actively seek ideas that challenge yours.
Your Next Breakthrough Won’t Come From Where You Expect🚀 The best leaders aren’t just experts in their domain. They’re relentless seekers of insight from everywhere.
If you want to see new opportunities, avoid blind spots, and stay ahead, don’t just consume what’s in front of you. Go beyond.
Simon Rurka
Founder & CEO, The Simon Assessment