--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Innovation is the only insurance against…" description: "\"Innovation is the only insurance against irrelevance.\" — Gary Hamel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/gary-hamel-3793_innovation_innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against_2434522.png" --- # Innovation is the only insurance against irrelevance. ![“Innovation is the only insurance against irrelevance.” quote by Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/gary-hamel-3793_innovation_innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against_2434522.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/gary-hamel-3793_innovation_innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against_2434522.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/gary-hamel-3793_innovation_innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against_2434522.png) > “Innovation is the only insurance against irrelevance.” [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Continuous innovation is essential to stay relevant in a changing world. **In simple terms:** Innovation prevents becoming irrelevant. Key Takeaway Prioritize constant innovation. Themes innovation relevance change strategy Mood forward‑looking strategic Type business motivational When to use this quote - product development - skill upskilling - market analysis - R&D investment Key Concepts business strategy future studies organizational behavior Questions to Reflect On - What innovations can you adopt today? - How do you balance risk and relevance? A Different Perspective Innovation can be costly and risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovation Insurance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation-insurance-322971/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Insurance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insurance/) [Insurance Irrelevance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insurance-irrelevance-322972/) [Irrelevance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irrelevance/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [Most of us understand that innovation is enormously important. It's the only insurance against irrelevance. It's the only guarantee of long-term customer loyalty. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/most-of-us-understand-that-innovation-is-enormously-important-it-s/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [On graduating from school, a studious young man who would withstand the tedium and monotony of his duties has no choice but to lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-augustin-de-coulomb/on-graduating-from-school-a-studious-young-man-who-would-withstand/) [Charles-Augustin de Coulomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-augustin-de-coulomb/) > [If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-don-t-like-change-you-re-going-to-like-irrelevance-even-less-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A philosopher is a lover of wisdom, not of knowledge, which for all its great uses ultimately suffers from the crippling effect of ephemerality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/a-philosopher-is-a-lover-of-wisdom-not-of-knowledge-which-for-all-its/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less. General Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff of the Army22”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-fontenot/if-you-don-t-like-change-you-re-going-to-like-irrelevance-even-less/) [Gregory Fontenot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-fontenot/) > [The question of relevance comes before that of truth, because to ask whether a statement is true or false presupposes that it is relevant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/the-question-of-relevance-comes-before-that-of-truth-because-to-ask/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [The fear of mistakes is the fast track to irrelevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-gebbia/the-fear-of-mistakes-is-the-fast-track-to-irrelevance/) [Joe Gebbia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-gebbia/) > [“Poetry often enters through the window of irrelevance. M. C. RICHARDS”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/poetry-often-enters-through-the-window-of-irrelevance-m-c-richards/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [By our uncritical pursuit of relevance we have actually courted irrelevance; by our breathless chase after relevance without a matching committment to faithfulness, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/by-our-uncritical-pursuit-of-relevance-we-have-actually-courted/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [We who advocate peace are becoming an irrelevance when we speak peace. The government speaks rubber bullets, live bullets, tear gas, police dogs, detention,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/we-who-advocate-peace-are-becoming-an-irrelevance-when-we-speak-peace/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [If moral statements are about something, then the universe is not quite as science suggests it is, since physical theories, having said nothing about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/if-moral-statements-are-about-something-then-the-universe-is-not/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) > [“When the shine is wearing off and the underlying cracks of a garlanded lifestyle become painfully apparent, reality may inexorably take its toll and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/when-the-shine-is-wearing-off-and-the-underlying-cracks-of-a/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Politics is about the participation and engagement of the wider citizenry - to miss that point would doom us to irrelevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/politics-is-about-the-participation-and-engagement-of-the-wider/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Incrementalism in technology leads to irrelevance; what you need is revolutionary change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-porat/incrementalism-in-technology-leads-to-irrelevance-what-you-need-is/) [Ruth Porat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-porat/) > [Very often the law of extremity demands an attention to irrelevance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-frame/very-often-the-law-of-extremity-demands-an-attention-to-irrelevance/) [Janet Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-frame/) ## More by Gary Hamel > [As human beings, we are the only organisms that create for the sheer stupid pleasure of doing so. Whether it's laying out a garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/as-human-beings-we-are-the-only-organisms-that-create-for-the-sheer/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Obviously, you don't have to be religious to be moral, and beastly people are sometimes religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/obviously-you-don-t-have-to-be-religious-to-be-moral-and-beastly/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Most of us do more than subsist. From the vantage point of our ancestors, we live lives of almost unimaginable ease. Here again, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/most-of-us-do-more-than-subsist-from-the-vantage-point-of-our/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [We've reached the end of incrementalism. Only those companies that are capable of creating industry revolutions will prosper in the new economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/we-ve-reached-the-end-of-incrementalism-only-those-companies-that-are/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [One way of building private foresight out of public data is looking where others aren't ... if you want to see the future, go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/one-way-of-building-private-foresight-out-of-public-data-is-looking/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [The fact is, society is made more hospitable by every individual who acts as if 'do unto others' really was a rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/the-fact-is-society-is-made-more-hospitable-by-every-individual-who/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Truth be told, there are lots of companies that provide exemplary phone support. DirecTV, Virgin America and Apple are a few that regularly exceed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/truth-be-told-there-are-lots-of-companies-that-provide-exemplary/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [The real damper on employee engagement is the soggy, cold blanket of centralized authority. In most companies, power cascades downwards from the CEO. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/the-real-damper-on-employee-engagement-is-the-soggy-cold-blanket-of/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [The problem with the future is that it is different, if you are unable to think differently, the future will always arrive as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/the-problem-with-the-future-is-that-it-is-different-if-you-are-unable/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [An adaptable company is one that captures more than its fair share of new opportunities. It's always redefining its 'core business' in ways that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/an-adaptable-company-is-one-that-captures-more-than-its-fair-share-of/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [people are all there is to an organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/people-are-all-there-is-to-an-organization/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [To be embraced, a change effort must be socially constructed in a process that gives everyone the right to set priorities, diagnose barriers ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/to-be-embraced-a-change-effort-must-be-socially-constructed-in-a/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [I'm not one of those professors whose office is encased floor-to-ceiling with books. By the way, I think academics do this to intimidate their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/i-m-not-one-of-those-professors-whose-office-is-encased-floor-to/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [In a democracy, you don't need anyone's permission to form a new political party, publish a politically charged article, or organize a 'tea party.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/in-a-democracy-you-don-t-need-anyone-s-permission-to-form-a-new/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) > [Our biggest challenge is how to create a self-renewing company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/our-biggest-challenge-is-how-to-create-a-self-renewing-company/) [Gary Hamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) [Explore all 121 Gary Hamel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/) ## More Innovation quotes > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“In the innovation age customer experience is key. Your impression defines their expression”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/in-the-innovation-age-customer-experience-is-key-your-impression/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Incrementalism never allows innovation to flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/incrementalism-never-allows-innovation-to-flourish/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [Why is it that, when we want to think outside the proverbial box, we often put ourselves in one? We gather our team in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/why-is-it-that-when-we-want-to-think-outside-the-proverbial-box-we/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) > [We have to be innovative, we have to be fresh, we have to be new. People are counting on that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-barthel/we-have-to-be-innovative-we-have-to-be-fresh-we-have-to-be-new-people/) [Sarah Barthel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-barthel/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/) [Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/) > [“Some innovations just don’t attract enough economic or social demand: just as supersonic flight and manned space flight stagnated after the 1970s, today (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-j-rees/some-innovations-just-don-t-attract-enough-economic-or-social-demand/) [Martin J. Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-j-rees/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Other things being equal, it is the person who can lift his work up to the plane of the intuitional and inspiration who achieves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanwood-cobb/other-things-being-equal-it-is-the-person-who-can-lift-his-work-up-to/) [Stanwood Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanwood-cobb/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Browse all 4,437 Innovation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Innovation is the only insurance against irrelevance.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gary Hamel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against-irrelevance/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Innovation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against-irrelevance/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/gary-hamel-3793_innovation_innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against_2434522.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/gary-hamel-3793_innovation_innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against_2434522.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/373/gary-hamel-3793_innovation_innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against_2434522.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Innovation is the only insurance against irrelevance.” — Gary Hamel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gary Hamel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hamel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Innovation is the only insurance against...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against-irrelevance/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hamel/innovation-is-the-only-insurance-against-irrelevance/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```