Modern companies are obsessed with being data-driven. And in many ways, they should be.
Data helps us see patterns, validate assumptions, and double down on what works.
But over time, a full reliance on data creates a quiet, dangerous trap.
We begin to prioritize what’s proven over what’s possible.
We build systems that reward predictability, not imagination.
That’s when companies stop leading and start repeating.
They become self-replicating machines, optimized to incrementally improve yesterday’s strategy.
The more they scale, the more they conform to industry norms.
The result? Commoditization disguised as efficiency.
Here’s the metaphor:
Rationality is like a GPS with turn by turn directions.
It guides you using what’s already mapped; quickest route, least resistance, proven path.
But it only works when you’re going somewhere others have already been.
A compass is different.
It doesn’t offer turn-by-turn instructions.
It gives you direction, not certainty.
It’s what you use when there is no map.
If you’re building something truly new; a category, a narrative, a product that hasn’t existed yet, you need to rely less on GPS logic and more on compass instinct.
That takes deliberate deviation. Not chaos. Not randomness. But intentionally stepping off the charted path to explore what might be out there.
So here’s the challenge:
What percentage of your team’s time, attention, or budget is reserved for deliberate deviation?
For chasing outcomes that might not make sense today, but could define your future?
If the answer is zero, don’t be surprised when your company arrives exactly where everyone else already is.