A Moment for Innovation: Why I Work in Tech

Why I work in tech. It's a special value in innovation.     · 5 min read     

What motivates me to do my job in tech has been a topic in two different conversations this fall. We have fundamentally discussed what purpose I see in the company I co-founded and why I work in the software industry. When it came to making the connection to my personal motivation, I struggled to find the right words.

I knew it was there, but I could not consciously grasp it, let alone put it into words. This made me think. An urge to go deeper took hold of me and stayed with me for weeks.

Thinking Back

Some mornings and late at night, whenever there was a bit of quiet time, I took a moment to reflect. Why have I been doing this tough and very unpredictable job, which takes a lot of grit and resilience, for many years? Why have I found joy and gratefulness even in the long straining periods for a CEO of an ambitious bootstrapped company in a tough market? I felt that the root cause went deeper than my quiet but very present joy in experiencing at first hand how this world, this industry, this business works.

Then I remembered that long before I became an entrepreneur by profession, I had already discussed the value of technology and innovation with a good friend. He became a tech CEO as well. Over the years, we had even revisited this topic a few times. For the sake of a good discussion, and by true conviction I assume, we represent two fundamentally different believes. He believes that technological progress holds immanent value. I don’t.

The Paradox of Innovation

Yes, we live in a very exciting time where innovation touches our daily lives on a constant basis. New smartphone models in our pockets, new apps and gadgets, new tools and software at work, new medical treatments, new vegan products, new means of paying for our groceries, new car models with very different drive trains, new political movements, new ways of how politicians and activists communicate — they all enter our daily lives at a pace that is unprecedented in human history. And it doesn’t stop.

But what is the value in today’s innovation? One hundred years ago, the average life expectancy for humans on this planet was about 35 years. Today, it is twice that number. Even if you live in North America or Europe, the increase far exceeds a 50% plus for your lifespan. And life is precious. But think about how often you celebrate your increased lifespan. Try to remember how much joy it inspired in you, for example, yesterday.

Imagine there was a major innovative breakthrough in healthcare technology tomorrow and we all got to live for 200 years. This would surely be a contribution for humankind. But to me, it would only unfold true value, if we appreciated this progress. If nobody is ever truly inspired by it, if nobody ever sees the beauty in such innovation, I don’t see its deeper meaning.

What is this life, if you are never truly inspired? What’s all the hard work and money worth, if you never have the mental space to really appreciate the beauty in the big and small achievements of humankind?

Ironically, the flood of innovation makes the appreciation harder for humans. The paradox of today’s innovation is: It gives us so much we could marvel at and appreciate in our daily lives, yet it tends to overwhelm humanity to a degree that mental space gets lost and appreciation fades.

Mental Space for Beauty at Work

And that is the root of my motivation. I welcome innovation. I invite it. I am excited when it reaches me. And it is the process of innovation itself that is beautiful to me. What inspires me is how beautiful it is when innovation happens: a brilliant idea sparks, big or small, is turned into consumable reality with creativity and hard work, and contributes to the lives of people.

My motivation is not only to make my humble contribution in innovating. Most profoundly I am moved and motivated by helping create the mental space for anyone to appreciate the beauty in innovation. This unfolds its value. And this in turn potentiates true progress.

We spend so much time with work. It would be a shame to write it off as time with no potential for beauty. I believe it can be a space where inspiration, not bombast, not mere excitement, but true inspiration can be found. This is what makes me get out of bed and get to work.

Take a Moment

The software industry is just one example. It is bustling and fierce and blooming like the richest jungle. It is so full of innovation nowadays that it holds abundant potential for finding such beauty. But I see people, some right at the heart of this industry, who seem to have lost track of their deep personal appreciation for innovation in this fast and complex world. They just function, at best. Yet all it takes sometimes is taking a moment. Take a moment to get back in touch with the appreciation.

Becoming conscious of all this has potentiated my motivation and gave it a voice. The chance I see for staying in touch with it and staying conscious of the value in innovation: Whenever it is time, take a moment. Open mental space where the beauty in innovation can shine. It may even shine in an innovation near you. At work or beyond.

From the Series "A Moment for Innovation". First published on Medium.