Innovation resides in the places we imagine ourselves into.
The scientist Stuart Kauffman has coined a phrase which captures both the limits and the creative potential of change and innovation - "The Adjacent Possible".
The Adjacent Possible describes all the other possibilities at any given moment; all the other things that could occur in if we were to take a different path. It is a kind of shadow future, hovering on the edges of the present state of thinking which points to all of the ways in which the present could re-invent itself. It is all those things which could be, not the way things already are.
As Steven Johnson writes in Where Good Ideas Come From:
"Think of it as a house that magically expands with each door you open. You begin in a room with four doors, each leading to a new room that your haven't visited yet. Those four rooms are the adjacent possible. But once you open one of those doors and stroll into that room, three new doors appear, each leading to a brand-new room that you couldn't have reached from your original staring point. Keep opening new doors and eventually you'll have built a palace".
The Adjacent Possible expands out from the edges of now. It is the acknowledgement and awareness that at any given moment the world is capable of extraordinary change.
Though the possibilities are not infinite - each moment has some limits to it's future, the beautiful truth is that the boundaries of The Adjacent Possible grow as you explore those boundaries.
Think of The Adjacent Possible as birthplace of innovation. It is the space of potential which motivates us to keep exploring the boundaries of the possible. The better we become at exploring, the more possibilities we see, so that every situation we encounter holds the seeds for paradigm-changing opportunity.
How can The Adjacent Possible help you?
The key is awareness.
By being aware of The Adjacent Possible you are encouraged to test out new ideas, and to look beyond the existing paradigm. The Adjacent Possible urges you to consider different doors before taking action or committing to a direction.
Awareness of The Adjacent Possible puts you in the mindset for innovation.
For more see Steven Johnson's book or check out his TED talk.