Most of us follow established patterns without questioning them.
This edition explores what happens when we deliberately break free from these prescribed approaches—and the mind-blowing results that follow. Awakening our artist within instead of painting by numbers.
Breakaway success isn’t achieved by following predetermined processes. What might you achieve if you put down the instruction manual?
The Two Must-Have Beliefs of History-Makers
What distinguishes the world-changers from the also-rans?
After studying masters across domains – from Bezos to Mozart, Serena Williams to DaVinci – two fundamental beliefs emerge.
First, history-makers maintain perpetual dissatisfaction. Even amidst acclaim, they remain driven by an urgent need to create more, learn more, and achieve more.
Second, they relentlessly own the outcomes. While others follow tidy formulas and then blame circumstances for failures, legends take full responsibility for delivering results, conquering whatever obstacles arise.
This combination – chronic dissatisfaction paired with radical accountability – forms the psychological architecture of extraordinary achievement.
What makes this insight powerful is its accessibility. These aren’t inborn traits but adoptable mindsets. By cultivating productive dissatisfaction and ruthless ownership, you create the conditions for breakthrough performance.
The Ultimate Example of Creative Freedom in Business
What happens when you throw away the corporate instruction manual? Ricardo Semler’s experiment might change how you think about work.
At Semco, the Brazilian manufacturing company Semler transformed, employees interview their bosses, set their own hours, and even determine their own salaries. There are no org charts, dress codes, business plans, or HR departments.
The evidence? Revenue growth from $4 million to $212 million.
What’s fascinating isn’t just what Semco eliminated, but what emerged in its place: genuine autonomy, intrinsic motivation, and organizational adaptability.
Research consistently shows that when people feel ownership over their work, creativity flourishes. Semco’s “retire-a-little” program—where employees buy back one day weekly for personal pursuits—reflects this understanding that innovation requires space for exploration.
Most companies follow fixed templates for structure and control. Semco reveals an alternative: by trusting employees as responsible adults and removing bureaucratic obstacles, organizations can thrive through authentic self-direction.
The most successful companies don’t follow a preset formula. Instead, they create conditions where people can paint outside conventional lines.
By removing artificial constraints and trusting employees as responsible adults, Semco created an environment that fueled radical success.
The Reverse
What’s your first instinct when you receive spam? Delete immediately, right?
That’s exactly why comedian James Veitch’s approach is so fascinating.
By deliberately engaging with scammers—the precise opposite of conventional wisdom—Veitch discovered untapped creative potential, which launched his career to new heights with a viral TED talk and a bestselling book.
This counterintuitive approach reveals something profound about innovation: our paint-by-numbers habits often constrain our most original thinking.
When we deliberately reverse our instinctive responses, we create space for discovery and growth. Each time we step outside our prescribed lines, we strengthen our capacity for original thought.
The most valuable canvas isn’t the one with predetermined spaces – it’s the blank one you create yourself.
To your creative success…
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About Josh
Josh Linkner is a New York Times bestselling author, serial entrepreneur, venture capital investor, professional jazz guitarist, and a globally recognized innovation expert. To learn more or to explore a collaboration, visit JoshLinkner.com
