The adjacent possible

Innovation happens at the edges of what currently exists. Each new discovery opens doors to possibilities that weren't accessible before.

The concept

Stuart Kauffman coined the term "adjacent possible" to describe the set of all first-order possibilities at any moment. You can't jump to any arbitrary future state—you can only reach what's one step away from where you are now.

But here's the interesting part: taking that one step changes what's adjacent. New doors appear. What was impossible yesterday becomes possible today.

Implications for creativity

This is why diverse inputs matter. Reading widely, talking to people outside your field, trying random things—all of it expands your adjacent possible. You never know which combination will unlock a new door.

It also explains why timing matters in innovation. Some ideas are ahead of their time—not because they're wrong but because the adjacent possible hasn't expanded to include them yet.

Practical application

When you're stuck, instead of trying to leap to the perfect solution, ask: what's one step I could take from here? What small experiment might open new possibilities?

Often, the path reveals itself through walking, not through planning.