Productivity and innovation are opposites

The Daily Drip

If you've been a long-time reader, you'll know that I write (and think) a lot about productivity.

There's just so much work waste in the world, I just know that people could get where they're going faster if they were just a bit more productive, focused, or clear on their objectives.

A consequence of being wrapped up solely in productivity is that we tend not to innovate.

Productivity is done best when it's routine, precise, and consistent. Productivity is all about the relentless pursuit of the mission.

But innovation is at the other end of the spectrum. It requires waste. It requires inefficiency. It requires procrastination and toil.

Coming up with something new is nearly the opposite of being productive but it's just as important.

Can you imagine if we had just made horses faster instead of creating the automobile?

What are you working on right now? Does it require more productivity or more innovation?

Your inputs and outputs will look very different depending on which you are pursuing.