Overview: Author, Reception & Critique
Adam Grant, Wharton professor and acclaimed organizational psychologist, authored Originals (2016), which became a global bestseller—topping major lists like The New York Times and Amazon. Praised by Sheryl Sandberg, Arianna Huffington, and Richard Branson, it’s celebrated for demystifying how everyday people champion unconventional ideas and drive meaningful change.
Critics, however, mention its expansiveness as both strength and weakness: the multitude of stories and concepts can feel overwhelming, and some argue it leans heavily on business-focused examples. Still, its core message remains powerful: originality isn’t rebellion for rebellion’s sake, but purpose-driven, strategic action.
Chapter 1 – Creative Destruction
The Risky Business of Going Against the Grain
In this opening chapter, Adam Grant dismantles the myth of the bold, reckless innovator. He argues that true originality involves strategic risk management, not impulsive decisions.
“Entrepreneurs are significantly more risk-averse than the general population.”
Grant explores how successful non-conformists often hedge their bets—many launch startups while keeping day jobs or diversify risk across different life areas. The key is not fearless leaps, but thoughtful experiments.
He introduces the concept of “questioning defaults”—challenging the way things are routinely done. In one study, employees who chose non-default internet browsers (like Chrome over Internet Explorer) had higher job performance and initiative. These small choices signal a mindset that resists passive conformity.
“The hallmark of originality is rejecting the default and exploring whether a better option exists.”
Grant also emphasizes that volume breeds innovation. Edison filed thousands of patents; Mozart composed hundreds of pieces. Creativity is not a single flash—it emerges from consistent, prolific effort.
A case study of Warby Parker illustrates this. Grant initially declined to invest in the startup, believing their founders were too cautious. But their deliberate pace and risk-balancing led to a billion-dollar company. Reflecting on his mistake, Grant writes:
“It was the worst financial decision I ever made.”
This chapter sets the foundation for Grant’s core argument: originals succeed not by being braver, but by being wiser in how they take action.
Chapter 2 – Blind Inventors and One-Eyed Investors
The Art and Science of Recognizing Original Ideas
In this chapter, Adam Grant tackles a common problem: most people struggle to recognize original ideas—especially their own. Originals aren’t just idea generators; they’re also skilled at evaluating which ideas are worth pursuing.
“Originality itself starts with creativity: generating a concept that is both novel and useful. But it doesn’t stop there.”
Grant argues that success is less about having one brilliant idea, and more about producing many ideas and selecting wisely. Studies show that creative geniuses like Edison and Picasso created prolifically—only a fraction of their work became iconic.
“The greatest creators don’t necessarily have better ideas—they just have more of them.”
The chapter also explores why people (especially leaders and investors) often misjudge originality. Our brains prefer familiarity, so truly novel ideas often seem too risky or strange. This explains why some of the most successful innovations—like the Segway or Polaroid—were rejected early on or misjudged by insiders.
Importantly, Grant notes that peers are often the best judges of originality, not managers or executives. One cited study found that in creative fields, coworkers could more accurately predict which ideas would succeed than supervisors or external evaluators.
Grant uses these insights to argue for a simple principle: generate widely, seek honest feedback, and trust informed peers when vetting bold ideas.
Chapter 3 – Out on a Limb
Speaking Truth to Power
This chapter explores how originals challenge authority—not with rebellion, but with strategy. Speaking up isn’t easy, especially in hierarchical organizations, yet it’s essential for change.
Grant introduces the “four options” people have when facing a broken system:
Exit, Voice, Persistence, and Neglect.
Originals often choose voice and persistence, continuing to push ideas forward despite resistance.
“Voicing ideas that challenge the status quo is not a trait of radicals—it’s a choice by those who care enough to fix something broken.”
He illustrates this with the story of Carmen Medina, a CIA analyst who pushed for greater information sharing. Despite being sidelined, she kept pushing internally—her persistence ultimately helped reshape the agency’s approach to collaboration and data openness.
Grant also challenges the idea that confident, forceful communication is always best. He shows that “powerless communication”—using doubt, humility, and vulnerability—can make an idea more persuasive.
For example, instead of hiding weaknesses, acknowledging them up front builds trust and reduces defensiveness.
“When you acknowledge the downsides of your idea, people trust you more—and listen more carefully to your upsides.”
This chapter makes it clear: originals don’t just think differently—they speak differently. They balance bold ideas with humble delivery, and they challenge power not recklessly, but deliberately.
Chapter 4 – Fools Rush In
Timing, Strategic Procrastination, and the First-Mover Disadvantage
In this chapter, Grant challenges the widespread belief that speed is always an advantage in innovation. He argues that being first isn’t always best—and that strategic delay can often lead to stronger, more original outcomes.
“Being original doesn’t require being first. It just means being different and better.”
Grant introduces the concept of the “first-mover disadvantage.” While pioneers often enter new markets early, they also face the highest uncertainty, highest costs, and the steepest learning curves. In contrast, “settlers”—those who wait, learn, and then improve on existing models—often outperform them. For instance, research shows that first movers fail at a rate of 47%, while settlers fail only 8% of the time.
Another powerful idea Grant explores is “strategic procrastination.” While procrastination is typically viewed as laziness, delaying action on creative work can actually improve innovation—by allowing ideas to incubate, evolve, and be cross-pollinated with others.
“Procrastination gives you time to consider divergent ideas, to think in nonlinear ways, to make unexpected leaps.”
A memorable example comes from Martin Luther King Jr. His iconic “I Have a Dream” speech was only finalized the night before—and much of it was improvised. The delay allowed him to internalize his message and deliver it with emotional spontaneity.
Ultimately, Grant shows that timing is a form of creativity. Originals don’t just have new ideas—they know when to act on them.
Chapter 5 – Goldilocks and the Trojan Horse
Creating and Maintaining Coalitions
Original ideas rarely succeed in isolation. In this chapter, Grant explores how building the right coalitions is essential to moving unconventional ideas forward—especially when facing opposition.
The title refers to two key strategies:
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The Goldilocks Principle: To win support, an idea needs to feel “just right”—not too radical to alienate potential allies, but not so tame that it lacks impact.
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The Trojan Horse Strategy: To infiltrate resistant systems, originals often embed bold ideas within familiar frames, making them more palatable to mainstream audiences.
“To rally people behind a cause, frame your vision in a way that resonates with the values and identities they already hold.”
Grant illustrates this through the women’s suffrage movement in the U.S. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony took a more radical stance, while Lucy Stone adopted a moderate tone to win broader public sympathy. Both approaches were necessary—radicals sparked momentum, while moderates secured political traction.
He also explains how successful movements avoid groupthink by welcoming internal dissent. Disagreements within coalitions aren’t weaknesses—they’re signals that a group is robust enough to handle complexity.
Whether in activism, business, or politics, the takeaway is clear: to be original, you must not only persuade others—but adapt your message to the moment and the audience without compromising your core values.
Chapter 6 – Rebel with a Cause
How Siblings, Parents, and Mentors Nurture Originality
In this chapter, Grant shifts the focus to how originality is shaped early in life, exploring the influence of family roles, parenting styles, and mentorship on non-conformist thinking.
A central finding is that later-born siblings are statistically more likely to challenge the status quo. They tend to take more creative and social risks, partly because they grow up needing to differentiate themselves from older siblings. This supports broader research linking birth order to divergent thinking.
“When parents raise children with a sense of moral reasoning—explaining why rules exist rather than imposing them blindly—kids are more likely to internalize values and question authority constructively.”
Grant refers to this as instilling a “logic of appropriateness” rather than just a “logic of consequences.” That is, children who learn to think in terms of right and wrong—not just punishment and reward—are more likely to become principled dissenters.
Mentorship also plays a vital role. But the most effective mentors don’t just offer support—they model dissent, encourage questioning, and provide psychological safety for originality to flourish. Originals often credit their early role models not for giving them answers, but for showing them that it was okay to challenge prevailing assumptions.
Ultimately, Grant shows that originality is not inborn. It’s cultivated—by parents who encourage reflection, siblings who create contrast, and mentors who embrace questions more than answers.
Chapter 7 – Rethinking Groupthink
The Myths of Strong Cultures, Cults, and Devil’s Advocates
In this chapter, Grant critiques the overvaluation of strong organizational cultures and reveals how they can suppress originality. While cohesion can boost morale, too much alignment leads to groupthink—the silencing of dissent and critical thinking.
“When people are afraid to express dissent, they become overly prone to conformity and the organization suffers.”
Grant explains that homogeneous teams, while efficient, often reject novel ideas because they value harmony over honest debate. In contrast, diverse teams—with psychological safety and tolerance for conflict—are more likely to surface bold insights.
One major target of critique is the practice of assigning a “devil’s advocate.” While meant to encourage debate, these roles often fail because the person isn’t genuinely invested in the opposing view. Their arguments lack conviction, and others don’t take them seriously.
“Stop assigning devil’s advocates and start unearthing them. Dissenting opinions are useful even when they’re wrong—but only if they’re authentic.”
Grant highlights organizations that embed dissent into their culture not by role-playing, but by encouraging real, principled disagreement—such as Bridgewater Associates, where employees are expected to challenge leadership openly and constructively.
The main message: originality flourishes in cultures that prioritize truth over consensus. To support creative thinking, organizations must normalize disagreement, reward candor, and hire people who question—even when it’s uncomfortable.
Chapter 8 – Rocking the Boat and Keeping It Steady
Managing Anxiety, Apathy, Ambivalence, and Anger
In the final chapter of Part I, Grant addresses the emotional challenges that come with originality—especially fear, doubt, ambivalence, and anger. Originals aren’t immune to these emotions; instead, they learn how to channel them effectively.
“The greatest originals are not the ones who have the deepest passion or the biggest ideas. They are the ones who persist the longest.”
He draws on research showing that anxiety and self-doubt don’t necessarily hinder original thinkers. In fact, many successful innovators struggle with fear but move forward anyway. The key isn’t confidence—it’s commitment and emotional regulation.
One fascinating concept Grant explores is “defensive pessimism”—the ability to imagine everything that might go wrong and plan for it. This isn’t defeatist thinking, but a tool to enhance preparedness and reduce anxiety.
“Having a sense of realistic pessimism can actually boost performance—because it motivates people to prepare.”
He also looks at how social movements manage collective emotion. For example, the Serbian resistance movement Otpor! used humor to reduce fear and build solidarity. Similarly, Martin Luther King Jr. paired righteous anger with messages of hope and unity to sustain momentum without burning out.
Finally, Grant emphasizes the value of emotional ambivalence—feeling conflicting emotions at once (like anger and gratitude, fear and hope). People who can hold these tensions are often more resilient and better equipped to innovate under pressure.
This chapter makes it clear: being original isn’t about fearlessness—it’s about managing discomfort in pursuit of meaningful change.
Final Reflections
In Originals, Adam Grant dismantles the myth that creativity is a gift reserved for the few. Instead, he shows us that originality is a deliberate practice—one built on questioning defaults, managing doubt, speaking up strategically, and building alliances that balance disruption with stability. From tech founders to civil rights leaders, what unites originals isn’t fearlessness, but the discipline to act despite uncertainty, the courage to stand alone, and the emotional range to stay grounded while rocking the boat.
Perhaps most importantly, Grant invites us to rethink our relationship with conformity—not as a passive habit, but as a choice we can unmake. To be original, he argues, is to generate more ideas, share them even when they’re fragile, and stay in the game long enough for them to land.
“You don’t have to be first. You just have to be different and better.”
Reflection Question
Can you recall a time when you held back from sharing an idea or taking action because it felt too unconventional—or too risky? What would you do differently today, knowing what you’ve learned about how originals actually succeed?
Feel free to share in the room or leave a comment below—your voice might be exactly the one someone else needs to hear.