There are two types of innovation: Sustaining Innovation (better & sharper sword) and Disruptive Innovation (Slingshot). Goliath was in fact good at sustaining innovation: he sharpened his sword every day, and he worked out every day like Conan the barbarian. Incumbent companies actually do this type of incremental innovation well, but they often miss out on the disruptive one, the one that will change the rules of the game forever.

The US Congress and the White House are engaging in a historic debate over the federal debt ceiling. All problems tend to be accumulated over time; the longtime negligence and lack of action because of political inconvenience are the reasons for the current Federal debt crisis. Software development shares a remarkably similar pattern.

Ben-Hur was a driver worthy of the fine horses he had. He knew his horses and was able to make the four run like one. His opponent, the Roman general Messala, was equipped with much better gear but still lost to Ben-Hur because his chariot crashed and disintegrated; Ben-Hur arrived first at the finish line because his horses ran as a team, both fast on the lanes and steady at turns.