In most interviews I’m invited to do, I get asked the same question: Where do you get inspiration from? The answer is simple: anywhere and everywhere.

However, there is an important distinction to be made: You won’t find groundbreaking ideas and insights in the mainstream—that’s for sure.

Look Where No One Else Looks

What do I mean by this? Innovation requires looking where no one else is looking. This is easier said than done because humans are naturally wired to follow the herd instead of thinking independently. Yet, stretching your thinking beyond the norm is exactly what it takes to uncover transformative ideas.

Innovation happens at the fringes, not at the center. Established ideas dominate the mainstream, while the new takes shape on the fringe, in the underground, and at the extremes. This reality poses a challenge for established businesses, where success can often breed complacency. Over time, even the most forward-thinking organizations risk becoming close-minded.

To see the new, we must escape our habits, move away from business as usual, and actively explore the unknown. This means delving into what we don’t know that we don’t know.

Build a Culturally Diverse Network

One of the most effective ways to break out of mainstream thinking is to develop a culturally diverse network. This isn’t limited to people within your industry; it’s about connecting with individuals from a variety of backgrounds, professions, and cultures. This “sense-making network” operates outside your domain and can help you identify next practices rather than best practices. After all, best practices often reflect the status quo, whereas next practices hint at what’s possible.

The first step to looking at the fringes is clear: break out of your existing network.

Obsess Over Anomalies

The next step is to embrace curiosity and open-mindedness. A clear indicator of close-mindedness is dismissing anything that seems strange or doesn’t fit your worldview. Innovators do the opposite. They are fascinated by anomalies, those quirks, and outliers that don’t align with the way things “should” be.

If you want to uncover groundbreaking ideas, you need to look outside your box. Perception is what separates innovators from imitators. What seems radical to you might be ordinary to someone else, which is why you must expand your horizons.

Avoid the Averages

In a recent HBR article on how to find new ideas in the curious things customers do, the author wrote:

Averages are the enemies of innovators. Innovation happens at the fringes, not at the center. We can often learn far more by talking with both superconsumers and infrequent users and connecting the dots than by talking with the average user, because superconsumers speak to us through their unexpected uses, while light consumers communicate through their unexpected non-consumption and compensating behaviors.

Organizations frequently focus on the average customer or user as a source of insight. However, the average user is habituated to what is, not what could be. To innovate, you need to look beyond the average—to the superconsumers, the outliers, and the overlooked. These are the people who reveal unmet needs and unexplored opportunities.

You Are What You Pay Attention To

Innovation is ultimately about attention. Anyone who doesn’t explore beyond what they already know is close-minded by default. Staying in your lane, as comfortable as it may feel, ensures you’ll miss out on the ideas that could truly change the game.

So, where do you find these game-changing ideas? Start by examining the extremes. Dive into unfamiliar domains. Look for unmet needs and overlooked opportunities. And most importantly, remain obsessively curious. Innovation thrives on the willingness to see things differently and the courage to do things differently.

Bottom line: Innovation is not about tweaking what already exists; it’s about being open to doing things radically differently. Avoid the averages. Seek the fringes. And remember, the future belongs to those who are willing to explore where no one else dares to look.