Adjacent Possible: The Hidden Doorway to Creativity and Innovation You’re Missing

Innovation often feels like a mysterious lightning bolt, but in reality, it emerges from the 'adjacent possible'—the set of opportunities that lie just beyond our current reach. This concept, introduced by biologist Stuart Kauffman, describes how new possibilities unfold from existing conditions through creative recombination and exploration.

Imagine a house with many rooms, each door leading to new spaces filled with potential. The adjacent possible is like those doors—close enough to see but requiring curiosity and courage to open. For example, the Flex-Foot prosthetic was inspired by the springiness of diving boards and the speed of cheetahs, combining ideas from unrelated fields to create breakthrough mobility aids.

Questioning assumptions plays a critical role in discovering the adjacent possible. When a designer realized that models of an art installation failed to capture sunlight's play, adding a projector mimicking sunlight transformed their appeal, unlocking new sales and creative possibilities.

Another inspiring example is a funding model inspired by indigenous traditions of radical generosity, designed to empower women entrepreneurs through pooled interest-free loans. This innovative approach opened pathways for ideas that traditional finance overlooked.

To tap into your adjacent possible, start by asking: What am I curious about? What problems seem broken or ripe for change? What existing skills and resources can be recombined in new ways? What beliefs might be limiting my vision?

By embracing the adjacent possible, you transform your environment into a dynamic landscape of opportunity. Innovation is not about distant leaps but about taking the next step into the unknown, expanding your map of what’s achievable.

References include evolutionary biology research, innovation case studies, and creativity frameworks. 1 2