Original Thinker Habit System
Originals are not fearless—they are afraid of not trying
Adam Grant's research reveals that original thinkers—people who generate and champion novel ideas that improve the world—share counterintuitive habits that contradict the popular image of the bold, confident innovator. Originals procrastinate strategically because incubation time improves idea quality. They generate massive volumes of ideas knowing most will be bad because quantity is the best predictor of quality in creative work. They doubt their ideas constantly but rarely doubt their ability to eventually succeed. And critically, their deepest fear is not failure but failing to try—the regret of inaction rather than action. Grant demonstrates with data from entrepreneurs, artists, and scientists that originality is not a fixed trait but a set of learnable behaviors.
- Quantity is the single best predictor of creative quality
- Strategic procrastination allows ideas to incubate and improves final output
- Originals doubt their ideas but not their ability to succeed eventually
- The deepest fear is not failure but the regret of not having tried
- First mover advantage is mostly a myth—improvers often beat pioneers
- Generate a Massive Volume of IdeasStop trying to have one great idea and instead produce a large quantity of ideas knowing most will be mediocre. Shakespeare wrote 37 plays and only a handful are considered masterpieces. Edison had 1,093 patents and most were forgettable. Mozart composed over 600 pieces. Beethoven produced 650. The path to a few brilliant ideas runs through generating hundreds of ordinary ones. Creative output follows a distribution where more attempts equal more hits.Pro tipSet a quantity target rather than a quality target. Force yourself to generate twenty ideas before evaluating any of them.WarningDo not fall in love with your first idea. The research clearly shows early ideas are rarely the most original ones.
- Procrastinate Strategically on Important Creative WorkOnce you have begun thinking about a problem, deliberately step away from it before finishing. This is not laziness but strategic incubation. Grant's research shows that people who procrastinate moderately on creative tasks produce work rated 16 percent more creative than those who finish immediately. The key is starting the work to activate your mind, then stepping away to let divergent thinking happen subconsciously before returning to complete it.Pro tipStart a creative project early but set the deadline late. The interval between starting and finishing is when your best ideas emerge from background mental processing.WarningThis only works if you have started the work. Procrastinating before any engagement with the problem is just avoidance.
- Doubt Your Ideas While Maintaining Self-ConfidenceLearn to separate idea doubt from self-doubt. Originals constantly question whether their current idea is good enough, which motivates them to refine, improve, and generate alternatives. But they maintain confidence in their overall ability to eventually find a good idea. Self-doubt paralyzes while idea doubt energizes. When you feel uncertain about a specific concept, channel that uncertainty into exploration rather than giving up.Pro tipWhen doubt hits, ask: Am I doubting this specific idea or am I doubting myself? If it is the idea, generate more ideas. If it is yourself, remember that all creative people have terrible ideas most of the time.
- Fear Inaction More Than FailureReframe your relationship with risk by recognizing that the biggest regrets in life come from inaction not action. Research on elderly people shows they regret the things they did not do far more than the things they did. Originals feel the same fears as everyone else but they are more afraid of not trying than of failing. Use this reframe to push past the fear of launching imperfect ideas into the world.Pro tipWhen hesitating on a creative venture, ask yourself: In ten years, will I regret not having tried this? The answer almost always pushes you to act.WarningThis is not about reckless action. Originals often hedge their bets sensibly while still taking the creative leap.
When the Warby Parker cofounders were preparing to launch their eyewear company, they were simultaneously applying to consulting jobs and other backup plans. Adam Grant initially declined to invest because he interpreted their hedging as a lack of commitment. The company went on to become valued at over a billion dollars. Grant realized that keeping options open while pursuing a venture is actually a hallmark of original thinkers who manage risk intelligently rather than throwing caution to the wind.
Grant developed this framework after studying a pattern among his most successful students and research subjects. He noticed that the most original people were not the fearless risk-takers pop culture celebrates. They were often late submitters who hedged their bets. One pivotal case was his decision to pass on investing in Warby Parker because the founders were applying to backup jobs while launching the company. They went on to build a billion-dollar business, teaching Grant that keeping a day job while pursuing a venture is actually a sign of smart originality, not insufficient commitment.