Disruption needs no home

The world is changing fast; do you have the right mindset to overcome the next big challenges? This article will help you rethink and prepare.

A few years ago, someone asked me, “What makes Israel such a startup nation, such an innovative place?” I paused, and instead of giving the usual answers about technology and education, I shared what truly makes us tick: in Israel, we’ve always lived with our backs against the wall. It’s about survival, and survival drives innovation. When you face enough challenges, you start to see life as a series of problems to solve.

The second factor might surprise you, but it’s crucial-we love to complain.

I remember sitting in a bar I co-owned in Tel-Aviv with a friend from Dubai. He looked around and asked, “What is it about this country? About these people that makes them so creative?” I said, “Look around-this bar is packed with young people, unwinding after work, and most of them are complaining about something. Each has an idea or solution, but it starts with complaints. Eventually, someone says, ‘Enough, stop complaining and fix it.’ That’s how startups are born: from disruption, from necessity.”

He laughed, watching the loud conversations and animated hand gestures, not understanding a word. To him, it looked like everyone was arguing. He spent the rest of the night wondering what…