"Through history we se an ironic process that Hegel or Marx would have appreciated; a dialectic whereby the success of a culture develops within itself its own antithesis. The more more well-off we become, the less reason we have to look for change, and hence the more exposed we become to outside forces. The result of creativity is its own negation."
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi
There it is. The reason why success carries with it the seeds of its own demise. As soon as you get cosy and begin to think you have the magic formula - you're screwed.
Innovation and creativity is an interative process. Your success will be a beacon for competitors - and that is before things like technology come into play.
The lessons:
a) don't stop - there is no top.
b) be prepared to leave a trail of unfinished business - you can't expect to exploit an idea until it is dessicated (because by then it is, well, …dessicated).
We're thinking along the same lines:
ReplyDeletehttp://madyoungthing.blogspot.com/2008/05/how-long-until-i-irrelevant.html