Breaking Free from Conformity: The Journey to Creating Something Insanely Great
The world of technology and innovation is one that is constantly in flux. It is a world that is always pushing the boundaries of what is possible and what is not. In this world, we have seen many great ideas and many great products come and go. But there is one thing that has remained constant throughout the years, and that is the idea of creating something that is truly great.
Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, once invited Brian Collins (American Designer and CCO of COLLINS) to his home for dinner. During the course of that dinner, he said something that stuck with Brian to this day. He said that Apple exists for one reason, and that reason is to make products that are “insanely, insanely great.”
(To see Brian’s full talk on this subject, watch his talk here titled “No creative person I know has ever asked for a brainstorming session…”)
This idea of creating something that is “insanely great” is what inspired people in the 1960s to push for the moon landing. It is what sparked the imagination of designers like Lance Wyman, and it is what Steve Jobs himself believed in. Unfortunately, over the last 20 years, we have replaced this idea of “insanely great” with the concept of the “minimal viable product.”
The problem with the minimal viable product is that it leads to minimal viable thinking. This type of thinking takes something that was once exciting and turns it into something that is just good enough. It is this type of thinking that has led to the fall of Western culture. We have lost the sense of wonder and excitement that once inspired us to create great things.
In the world of branding and marketing, we have also seen the effects of this minimal viable thinking. We have seen companies like Burberry and Ramona adopt a minimalistic approach to their branding, and as a result, their products and logos have lost their sense of elegance and beauty. We have seen the same thing happen in the fashion world, where brands like Yves Saint Laurent and Diane von Furstenberg have lost their sense of style and elegance.
The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. We must break free from the constraints of minimal viable thinking and start creating things that are truly great. We must stop using militarized language in our marketing and branding efforts, and we must start using our imagination and creativity to create things that have resonance and meaning. We must stop thinking of ourselves as commanders on the battlefront and start thinking of ourselves as creators of something truly great.
Let us all strive to create something that is “insanely great.” Let us break free from the constraints of minimal viable thinking and start creating something that is truly great. Let us use our imagination and creativity to create something that has resonance and meaning. Let us be courageous in our efforts to create something truly great and break free from the constraints of conformity. So, let’s work together to make something great and never settle for anything less.
About the author: Shane Allen is an accomplished entrepreneur and marketer currently serving as the Director of Marketing at PickNik, a company that specializes in developing software for robotics both on Earth and in space. With a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design and a background in mechanical engineering and business, Shane brings a unique perspective to his role as a marketer.
He has successfully raised six large rounds of investment for his inventions as a CEO, has multiple patents to his name, and won multiple pitching events worldwide. His expertise in both marketing and product design has helped him to create innovative campaigns that drive growth and results for the teams he’s involved with.
When he’s not working, Shane can either be found exploring the beautiful trails and mountains of Boulder, CO with his golden retriever Bandit or at home messing up his floors painting weird things on canvas. He is also an active member of the local startup community and is passionate about helping other entrepreneurs achieve success.
