The ‘We’ve Always Done It This Way’ Mindset Is Killing Innovation
Innovation doesn’t die because of bad ideas. It dies because of six simple words:
“We’ve always done it this way.”
It’s a phrase that signals comfort over progress, routine over reinvention. And in a fast-moving world, sticking to what worked yesterday is often the fastest way to fall behind.
The companies, teams, and leaders who thrive aren’t the ones who defend the past. They’re the ones who question everything—because the biggest risk isn’t change. It’s standing still.
The Hidden Costs of Staying the Same
A fear of change doesn’t just slow innovation—it kills it. Here’s why:
1. Innovation Doesn’t Happen in Comfort Zones
Real breakthroughs don’t come from playing it safe. They come from asking harder questions, taking calculated risks, and challenging assumptions.
When teams default to “the way we’ve always done it,” they don’t just reject new ideas—they stop generating them in the first place.
2. Disruption Doesn’t Ask for Permission
Most companies don’t fail because they’re bad at what they do. They fail because they refuse to evolve.
Blockbuster wasn’t bad at renting movies—it just didn’t see streaming coming.
Kodak didn’t fail because it lacked technology—it failed because it ignored digital photography.
Apple redefined entire product categories instead of iterating on what existed.
Patagonia built a brand around anti-consumption—literally telling customers NOT to buy their products unless they need them.
The lesson? The market doesn’t wait for you to catch up.
3. Playing It Safe Is Often the Bigger Risk
The best brands aren’t reckless, but they know when to take a leap. Apple, Nike, Patagonia—none of them lead their industries by following what’s already been done.
While safe brands fade into the background, bold brands set the tone for what’s next.
“Every society has a set of rules which governs it. Mastery occurs with the realization of these rules. Innovation occurs at the point of intelligent and creative rebellion against them.” — Fred Valdez
Why ‘We’ve Always Done It This Way’ Is a Dangerous Mindset
If “this is how we’ve always done it” is the default response to new ideas, you’ve got a problem. Here’s why:
It prioritizes familiarity over effectiveness. Just because something has worked before doesn’t mean it’s the best solution now.
It assumes the past is the best predictor of the future. But the world, markets, and customer expectations are always changing.
It kills curiosity and creativity. When people stop questioning, they stop thinking critically—and the work suffers.
If teams aren’t encouraged to rethink processes, challenge decisions, or explore new approaches, they’re not optimizing—they’re coasting.
How to Break the Cycle and Start Questioning Everything
Breaking free from outdated thinking isn’t about changing for the sake of change. It’s about building a culture that questions, experiments, and adapts.
1. Ask “Why?” More Often
Instead of accepting processes, ideas, or structures at face value, challenge them:
🚫 Bad Question: How do we execute this strategy?
✅ Better Question: Is this strategy still the best way to reach our goal?
🚫 Bad Question: How do we scale this process?
✅ Better Question: Is this process still working, or should we rethink it entirely?
When teams get comfortable asking why, they uncover better answers.
2. Test Before You Assume
Innovation doesn’t have to mean burning everything down—small experiments lead to big breakthroughs.
Try This:
Use the Impact-Effort Matrix to prioritize new ideas. This framework helps teams weigh the value of change against the effort required, ensuring that energy is spent on the most impactful shifts. (Learn More)
Introduce How-Now-Wow Thinking to categorize ideas into:
How? → Harder to implement, but game-changing.
Now? → Easy wins with incremental improvements.
Wow! → Bold, high-impact ideas that are feasible today. (Learn More)
Testing small changes leads to big shifts—without the risk of full-scale failure.
3. Encourage a Culture of Challenge
Teams do their best work when questioning isn’t punished—it’s expected.
Reward ideas that challenge the norm.
Ask team members to defend their decisions (not to resist change, but to ensure they’re intentional).
Use Empathy Mapping to break out of internal bias and see challenges from the user’s perspective. (Learn More)
Great teams aren’t built on blind agreement. They’re built on thoughtful disagreement.
The Future Belongs to the Questioners
The most successful brands, teams, and leaders aren’t the ones who defend the past. They’re the ones who challenge the present to create the future.
If your team, agency, or business is still relying on what worked before, ask yourself:
Are we improving… or just maintaining?
Are we challenging ourselves… or just repeating past success?
Are we evolving… or waiting until we’re forced to?
The companies that lead industries, the teams that create groundbreaking work, the leaders who make real impact—none of them settle for “the way it’s always been done.”
So maybe it’s time to stop asking “How do we do this better?” and start asking “Is this even the right thing to do anymore?”
Because the future belongs to those who question everything.
