The Right Kind of Crazy

📖 Why You Should Read It

The Right Kind of Crazy is part engineering thriller, part leadership manifesto, and part pep talk for anyone trying to solve big, messy problems. Adam Steltzner—yes, the guy who landed a rover on Mars—takes you inside the chaos of innovation and shows what it really takes to get to breakthrough. It’s not clean. It’s not linear. And it’s definitely not safe. But if you care about doing meaningful work, especially in design or leadership, this book will give you a new appreciation for curiosity, resilience, and the kind of collaboration that makes the impossible happen.

👉🏻 Key Takeaways

• The “dark room” is the uncomfortable, uncertain space where true exploration happens and it takes time to discover the path out.
• The best ideas often emerge when you’re not afraid to sound a little crazy.
• Trusting the process, not just your instincts, helps teams navigate high-stakes, high-uncertainty work.
• Effective innovation often involves shifting the problem framing to unlock new solution paths.
• Curiosity and humility are essential traits for solving complex, never-before-solved problems.
• Collaboration thrives when psychological safety allows wild ideas to be voiced without judgment.
• Failure isn't just possible…it’s necessary for discovering what works.
• Analytical rigor and creative exploration are not opposites…they’re essential partners.
• Complex solutions often come from embracing ambiguity rather than resolving it too quickly.

💬 Favorite Quotes

“The stakes don't get any higher than landing on Mars, but we knew that without taking risks, we'd never get there.”

“In the dark room, you can't see the walls. You don't know how big it is or what's in it. But that's where the truth lives.”

“You need a little bit of crazy to do something truly great.”

“Curiosity is the compass that guides you through the unknown.” (paraphrased concept)

“Communication isn't just about talking—it's about ensuring everyone is heard, and everything is understood.”

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