Spontaneous innovation isn't a skill in itself; it's the result of being an expert in contemplation. The ability to quickly process, reflect, and find a new paradigm under pressure comes from a practiced ability to contemplate, not from structured innovation exercises.

True innovation isn't about brainstorming endless ideas, but about methodically de-risking a concept in the correct order. The crucial first step is achieving problem clarity. Teams often fail by jumping to solutions before they have sufficiently reduced uncertainty about the core problem.

Drawing from Leonardo da Vinci, Nike's innovation philosophy combines "sfumato" (a mad scientist's willingness to fail) and "arte de science" (logical, scientific thinking). The fusion of these two opposing mindsets creates a "calculated risk"—the essential ingredient for meaningful breakthroughs.

The most effective ideas are not the most outlandish. Human psychology craves both novelty and familiarity simultaneously. Truly successful creative work, from marketing to scientific research, finds the perfect balance between being innovative and being grounded in something the audience already understands.

Starting with limitations like budget and feasibility (convergent thinking) kills growth and leads to repetitive outcomes. You must begin with an expansive, divergent phase to generate a wide pool of ideas before applying any constraints.

True innovation requires leaders to adopt a venture capital mindset, accepting that roughly nine out of ten initiatives will fail. This high tolerance for failure, mirroring professional investment odds, is a prerequisite for the psychological safety needed for breakthrough results.

Teams are composed of two mindsets: 'creators' who push boundaries with new ideas and 'doers' who execute existing plans. Asking a doer for creative, expansive ideas is a mistake, as they will default to what they know is achievable. True innovation requires tapping into your creators.

Effective creation is not a linear process but a continuous cycle. Start with chaotic ideas, apply strategic constraints to create a tangible asset, and then use the feedback and new questions from your audience—the 'new chaos'—to fuel the next iteration or creation.

Diller’s process for navigating the unknown isn't about brilliance but relentless iteration. He describes it as taking "one dumb step" at a time, bouncing off the walls of bad ideas and mistakes, and course-correcting. This embraces looking foolish as a prerequisite for finding the right path.