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The Game-Changing Idea No One’s Talking About

I was trying to be a good dad.

You know, the kind who makes time for each kid individually, has deep conversations, and creates those magical moments parenting books promise.

So I made a plan. Every Saturday, I’d take one of my four kids out for some one-on-one time. Just an hour where they’d have my undivided attention.

Sounds great, right?

It failed spectacularly.

Some Saturdays, the weather was terrible, and my motivation to leave the house dropped to zero. 

Other times, the three kids left behind would revolt, making my wife deal with a full-scale rebellion while I was off playing Super Dad. And sometimes life just got in the way.

I was about to give up on the whole idea when I realized something.

The solution wasn’t far away, it was right next door to my original plan.

The Adjacent Possible

Instead of fighting against the weekend chaos, I found a completely different approach.

Every Friday, I pick one kid up from school an hour early.

They choose where we go. Usually ice cream or a quick stop at their favorite store. And we talk. About anything. Everything. Nothing.

Then we head back to school to pick up their siblings together.

The result? Their brothers and sisters never see them leaving for a special time, so there’s no jealousy. My wife doesn’t have to manage the remaining crew alone. And since it happens during regular school hours, it never conflicts with weekend plans.

This is what scientists and innovators call “the adjacent possible.” It’s the realm of possibilities that exists just one step away from where you are now. Think of it as the set of potential solutions that are immediately available to you without requiring a complete restart.

The adjacent possible helps us break free from feeling stuck because it reminds us we don’t need radical transformation to solve problems. We just need to look at what’s available right next to our current situation.

Not a complete overhaul. Not a drastic change. Just a slight shift that makes all the difference.

Where’s Your Adjacent Possible?

The breakthroughs we need rarely require reinventing the wheel. They’re usually sitting right next to our current situation, waiting to be discovered.

Some ways this might look in your life:

• Struggling to build a consistent content strategy? Instead of forcing yourself to write weekly newsletters, what if you recorded voice notes during your commute and had them transcribed?
  
• Can’t find time for networking? What if you combined it with another activity you already do, like inviting connections to join you for your morning run or afternoon coffee break?
  
• Business stalled despite trying every marketing tactic? What if the answer isn’t a new strategy but deepening relationships with existing clients who already trust you?
  
• Finding it impossible to maintain work life boundaries? What if instead of fighting to leave exactly at 5 PM every day, you blocked off specific weekdays for late work and protected others entirely?

The adjacent possible isn’t about working harder or being more disciplined. It’s about working smarter. Finding the path of least resistance that still gets you where you want to go.

Finding Your Own Adjacent Possible

Here’s a simple exercise

Take a current challenge you’re facing, something you’ve been trying to solve but can’t quite crack.

Now, instead of asking “How do I overcome this obstacle?” ask:

“What’s right next door to this problem that would make it easier to solve?”

Let’s supercharge this with an AI prompt:

“I’m struggling with [describe your specific challenge]. Instead of completely changing my approach, help me find the ‘adjacent possible’—small, feasible shifts I could make to my current situation that would bypass these obstacles while still achieving my core goal. What are 3-5 adjacent possibilities I’m not seeing?”

Because when you’re stuck, the answer isn’t usually a million miles away.

It’s right next door.

The Power of Pivoting, Not Abandoning

Remember this: When your original plan isn’t working, you don’t have to throw the whole thing out.

Look sideways. Step slightly to the left. Try the adjacent door.

The solution you need is probably closer than you think.

You got this,

Terry

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