Disruption. It’s the buzzword that’s been bandied about in boardrooms and brainstorms, whispered in hushed tones at tech conferences, and plastered across the glossy pages of every business magazine worth its salt. We’re told that to disrupt is to innovate, to challenge the status quo, to upend industries and rewrite the rules. But what if, in our feverish pursuit of disruption, we’re simply circling back to where we started? What if the “innovators” we revere are, in reality, just dusting off old ideas, giving them a fresh coat of paint, and sending them back into the fray with a shiny new label?

The Disruption Delusion

Consider this: Uber, hailed as the poster child of disruption, didn’t invent the concept of ride-sharing. It merely digitised the age-old practice of hitching a ride for a fee. AirBnB? Not exactly revolutionary when you think of it as an updated version of couchsurfing, which has been around since time immemorial. These so-called disruptors didn’t create new industries; they simply re-engineered existing ones, leveraging technology to smooth out inefficiencies and scale their operations. And there’s nothing wrong with that—except that we’ve started to mistake iteration for innovation.

To really get under the skin of this, let’s take a jaunt through the annals of disruptive history. The late Clayton Christensen, who first coined the term “disruptive innovation,” defined it as a process whereby a smaller company with fewer resources successfully challenges established businesses. But here’s the kicker: true disruption, according to Christensen, doesn’t just add a new twist to an old model. It fundamentally changes the game. The electric light bulb was disruptive because it didn’t just improve upon candles—it rendered them obsolete.

Repackaging the Ordinary

Now, let’s turn our gaze to the current crop of “disruptors” and ask ourselves: how many of them are genuinely turning industries on their heads? Or are they simply tweaking existing concepts and marketing them as revolutionary? The reality, as unpalatable as it may be, is that most of what we celebrate as disruption is nothing more than a clever repackaging of the ordinary.

Take, for example, the glut of subscription box services that have flooded the market in recent years. From meal kits to makeup, these services claim to disrupt retail by delivering curated experiences straight to your door. But strip away the glossy packaging and what do you find? The same products you’d pick up at the shops, only with the added convenience of home delivery and a recurring charge to your credit card. This isn’t disruption; it’s consumerism with a twist.

Why True Innovation is Rare

So why, then, is true innovation so rare? Why do we cling so desperately to the notion of disruption, even when it’s little more than window dressing? The answer lies in the nature of risk and reward.

True innovation is risky. It requires not just the courage to think differently but the fortitude to weather the inevitable storms of failure that come with blazing a new trail. Incremental improvement—tweaking an existing model, adding a feature here or there—offers a far safer path. It’s easier to sell, easier to fund, and easier to market as the next big thing. But therein lies the rub: in playing it safe, we forsake the transformative power of real innovation for the comfort of the familiar.

Consider the smartphone. It’s a marvel of modern engineering, a device that’s transformed how we communicate, work, and play. But as each new model is unveiled with incremental updates—a better camera, a slightly faster processor—are we truly witnessing innovation? Or is it just the same product, repackaged and resold with the promise of newness? The truth is, while the smartphone was disruptive when it first appeared, the annual iterations that follow are simply refinements on a theme.

The Cult of the Disruptor

In our obsession with disruption, we’ve elevated the disruptor to almost mythic status. They’re the mavericks, the visionaries, the ones who defy convention and lead us into the future. But this cult of the disruptor can be dangerously misleading. It suggests that anyone with a novel idea and a bit of bravado can change the world, when in fact, true innovation is far more elusive—and far less glamorous.

Let’s look at the tech industry, where the cult of the disruptor is most deeply ingrained. Silicon Valley is awash with startups claiming to disrupt everything from healthcare to transportation. But scratch the surface, and many of these so-called innovations are simply new spins on old ideas, with a dash of artificial intelligence or blockchain sprinkled in for good measure.

It’s not that these startups aren’t doing interesting work—they are. But the reality is that most are not disruptive in the true sense of the word. They’re not creating new markets or fundamentally altering the way we live our lives. They’re optimising, streamlining, and enhancing existing models. And while there’s value in that, it’s a far cry from the kind of ground-breaking innovation that genuinely shifts the paradigm.

What Real Innovation Looks Like

So, what does real innovation look like? It’s the kind of change that upends entire industries, creates new markets, and fundamentally alters the way we live, work, and interact with the world. It’s not just about making things faster, cheaper, or more convenient—it’s about doing things that were previously unimaginable.

Think of the advent of the internet, which transformed the very fabric of society, or the development of CRISPR, which has the potential to revolutionise medicine and agriculture. These are not just improvements on existing models; they are leaps into the unknown, with all the risks and rewards that entails.

True disruptors are those who see the world not as it is, but as it could be. They are willing to take the road less travelled, even when the path is fraught with uncertainty. They don’t just iterate; they innovate in the truest sense of the word.

The Road Ahead

As we move forward in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, the challenge for businesses and entrepreneurs is not to chase after the next big disruption but to recognise the difference between iteration and innovation. It’s about understanding that true disruption is rare, difficult, and often uncomfortable, but it’s also the key to unlocking the future.

We must move beyond the surface-level glamour of being a disruptor and instead focus on the deeper, more meaningful work of creating real change. This means embracing risk, thinking differently, and being willing to challenge the very foundations of our industries. It means looking beyond the immediate and the incremental to see the bigger picture and the broader impact of our innovations.

Conclusion: Embracing True Innovation

In the end, the myth of the disruptor is just that—a myth. It’s a comforting narrative that allows us to believe we’re on the cutting edge when, in reality, we’re often just circling back to where we started. But by recognising this, we open the door to real innovation, the kind that doesn’t just change industries but transforms the world.

So, let’s stop chasing the ghost of disruption and start embracing the hard, messy, and exhilarating work of true innovation. Because that’s where the real magic happens—and that’s where the future lies.