Embrace the Useless: Unlock Innovation Through Unproductive Moments
"I want to do something useless every day."
This counterintuitive advice from Kevin Kelly, renowned futurist and co-founder of WIRED Magazine, challenges our conventional notions of productivity. When he shared this insight on "Beyond the Prompt," it resonated deeply with me: we all nod our heads at admonitions to be useful, but useless? Could embracing seemingly useless moments actually be the key to unlocking innovation and creativity?
They Re-Wrote the Laws of Economics
Amos Tversky, the brilliant researcher who collaborated with Nobel Prize winner Danny Kahneman on a series of wildly inventive experiments debunking long-held conventional wisdom, echoed a similar sentiment when he shared their secret: "The secret to doing good research is to always be a little underemployed. You waste years when you can't waste hours." Tversky’s advocacy of "underemployment" aligns perfectly with Kevin Kelly's advice to "do something useless every day." By giving ourselves permission to waste hours, we open up space for groundbreaking ideas and insights to emerge.
I've experienced the power of useless moments firsthand. Two of my biggest recent ideas—a novel structure for a high-stakes keynote to a bunch of CEOs, and a radical generative AI product that will double my client’s revenues—came to me while relaxing in the hot tub. I often reject the urge to soak, thinking “I can’t afford to stop working right now,” but that’s faulty thinking! These moments of unstructured thinking, far from my usual work routine, allowed my mind to wander and make unexpected connections.
Psychological and Creative Benefits
Research shows that engaging in activities without a clear purpose can offer significant psychological benefits. Psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik found that our brains continue working on unsolved problems in the background, even when we're not actively focusing on them. This "Zeigarnik effect" suggests that stepping away from a task and engaging in unrelated activities can actually help us find solutions more effectively. Additionally, studies have shown that daydreaming and mind-wandering can enhance creativity and problem-solving abilities.
There’s a reason folks say “The history of innovation is the bed, the bus, and the bathtub.”
Conclusion
Embracing the useless, as Kevin Kelly and Amos Tversky suggest, is not about being lazy or unproductive. It's about recognizing the value of unstructured moments, of giving our minds the space to wander and explore. By incorporating seemingly useless activities into our daily lives, we open ourselves up to the possibility of groundbreaking ideas and insights. So go ahead, take that walk, daydream, or soak in the hot tub—you never know what innovations might surface.
How have useless moments sparked creativity in your life? Share your experiences in the comments below. Practical examples give us all the permission to celebrate the power of unproductive moments in fueling innovation.
Related: Beware Conventional Wisdom
Related: Beyond the Prompt: Kevin Kelly
Related: The Problem With Solving Problems
Related: Disciplined Daydreaming
Related: Allow Your Mind to Wander
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In the past year, I've witnessed a fascinating phenomenon across organizations embracing GenAI. Two "identical twins" in the AI race, similar in their approach to AI adoption -- engaged senior leadership, extensive training, numerous opportunities for AI integration -- whose outcomes couldn't be more different.