Industry Rules Revisited
The longer I work in any industry, the clearer one truth becomes: most of what we obsess over does not actually matter.
We follow rules without questioning them.
We maintain processes because “that is how it has always been done.”
But when you dig deeper, you start to see the cracks in the foundation.
Table of Contents
Industry Habits
So much of what people do in an industry is done simply because that is how it has always been done.
There is no strategic reason.
No data backing it up.
Just tradition masquerading as best practice.
Obscure Scenarios
Other times, rules were created for one obscure scenario that rarely happens.
Yet everyone follows them religiously, even when that scenario does not apply to their situation.
We waste time and resources solving problems that do not exist.
Outdated Rules
Periodically, it is even because it used to have to be done that way, but something has changed since the rule was started, and it is no longer necessary.
Technology evolves.
Markets shift.
Customer needs transform.
But the old rules stick around like ghosts haunting our workflows.
Where Disruption Begins
This is where industry disruption comes in.
Someone finally asks, “Why?” and realizes there is no good answer.
They strip away the unnecessary and build something better.
Recalibrating Priorities
It is useful to recalibrate sometimes and remember that many of the things you thought mattered do not actually matter.
Step back from your daily routine.
Question your assumptions.
You might be surprised by how much dead weight you are carrying.
Conclusion
The things we assume are essential often turn out to be optional.
True progress comes from questioning inherited wisdom and eliminating what no longer serves a purpose.
Free yourself from outdated rules and focus on what actually moves the needle.
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