Originals

How Non-Conformists Move the World

Adam M. Grant

10 min read
53s intro

Brief summary

Originals argues that creativity isn't a rare gift but a choice to question default settings and manage risk. It explains how anyone can generate better ideas, persuade others, and drive change by making conscious choices to reshape their environment.

Who it's for

This book is for anyone who wants to challenge the status quo in their work or life but feels constrained by risk, fear, or convention.

Originals

Audio & text in the Readsome app

What Makes Someone Original

Original people are not born as a special type. They are ordinary people who choose not to accept the default setting in life. When most people see a system, a rule, or a routine, they assume it exists for a good reason. Originals stop and ask a simpler question: does it still make sense?

That habit of questioning changes everything. Many institutions, customs, and workplace rules feel permanent only because they have been around for a long time. Once people realize these systems were made by human beings, they can also imagine changing them. Originality begins with seeing that the world is not fixed.

This does not mean originals are reckless rebels who reject everything. Most are selective. They do not fight every battle or challenge every rule. They notice the parts of life that feel unnecessary, outdated, or limiting, and they decide those are worth improving.

That is why originality is less about raw talent and more about choice. It comes from curiosity, dissatisfaction, and the willingness to imagine a better option. People become more original when they stop asking how things are done and start asking how they could be done differently.

Full summary available in the Readsome app

Get it on Google PlayDownload on the App Store

About the author

Adam M. Grant

Adam M. Grant is an organizational psychologist, bestselling author, and professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was the school's youngest tenured professor. A leading expert on motivation, generosity, and original thinking, his research explores the science of how people find meaning, rethink assumptions, and live more generous and creative lives. His work has earned him awards from the American Psychological Association and recognition as one of the world's most influential management thinkers.

Similar book summaries