Originals: Try and Fail But Never Conform

Adam Grant’s teaches how to balance the unleashing of creative genius while managing risk.

Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

I first heard Adam Grant in a Malcolm Gladwell podcast. The two hosted an event at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan and broadcast on Malcolm’s Revisionist History. I am a huge Malcolm Gladwell fan and the two together were incredibly funny and entertaining to hear. They are clearly close friends who thoroughly enjoy engaging in an intellectual arguement. My favorite kind.

Adam is brilliant and the perfect counterpoint to Malcolm’s reasoned logic. I loved hearing him so much that I found his Ted Talk, read his articles and bought his books. His positivity about life and brilliant reasoning on business comes through in every word he speaks and writes. And I need his voice right now.

I am in the midst of launching a company with a completely novel product. There is no roadmap on how to pull this off and I have no idea how to get from A to B. My first attempt at entrepreneurship was a well worn path. I bought into a franchise business. It was a moderate success and an excellent experience for a young business owner. It was safe. There are solid benefits to jumping with a parachute. But if I am truly carving my own path, don’t I need to be all in? Quit my day job? Eliminate every…