Adjacent Possible
The set of all changes and innovations reachable from the current state of things — the first-order possibilities available at any given moment, shaped by what already exists.
Origin
Theoretical biologist Stuart Kauffman developed the concept at the Santa Fe Institute, first exploring it in At Home in the Universe (1995) and elaborating further in Investigations (2000). Steven Johnson later popularized the idea beyond biology in his 2010 book Where Good Ideas Come From.
Everyday Use
It's difficult to integrate our long-term goals and objectives with our day-to-day actions. It's often challenging to see how we can move from our present situation into an imagined future. At those times, it's helpful to think about the _adjacent possible — _what is a next step, simple and achievable yet unambiguous, that could be made today to move onto that path, getting us one step closer to our goal.