Embrace friction.

Tech has long been built to be as smooth as possible — to make us spend more, come back, and spend again. We've now reached peak smoothness. We're told that expertise doesn't matter, that artistic creation, thinking, and programming are obsolete because anything can be generated at the push of a button — without the tedious, boring, way-too-slow work of studying, practicing, making mistakes, and repeating that until you at least suck at it a bit less.

And if you don't immediately agree, you need to get with the programme or find a different job. This is how friction is being outlawed on tech teams: engineers are scared to speak up. They feel like they can't challenge decisions anymore, worried it'll give them a reputation for being "difficult" and even cost them their job.

Life isn't just gliding down a path of no resistance until one day we're dead. Making it is the point. Presence, discussion, debate, exchange of ideas, and, yes, friction, are what we need for bigger and bolder ideas — for better business results, and, dare I ask for it, a creative and interesting life.

More ways to bring friction into your life:

• Run meetings where the goal is to find holes in your own plans. If nobody disagrees, you haven't thought hard enough.
• Once a week, pair with a teammate instead of a copilot.
• Next time you're bored in a meeting and want to bring a little friction to your day, remember you can always spice things up by asking, "What problem are we trying to solve?"

Friction — the gift that keeps on giving.