Why Innovation Projects Fail Before They Start
- Hedi
- Aug 27
- 4 min read
By Hedi Schaefer
According to Harvard Business review in 2023 between seventy to ninety percent of innovation projects failed over ten years. The research confirmed it. The data was brutal.
But when I started my own personal innovation journey, I discovered something that changed everything. The problem wasn't the tools or processes outside of me.
It was me.
My self-doubt.
My fear of failure and success.
My fear of change itself.
The human conditioning and personal trauma standing in my way.
Here's what shocked me most: 95% of it was subconscious. I was fighting battles I couldn't even see.
The Hidden Patterns Running the Show - Why Innovation Projects Fail
The limiting beliefs were everywhere once I started looking.
"I'm not good enough."
"If I speak my truth, I'll be judged and shamed."
"I'm safer when doing what everybody else claps for."
But the most paralyzing one?
"If I succeed, who will despise me?"
Most people think success is universally celebrated. They're wrong. When you do something out of the ordinary, you trigger people in two ways.
Some find it inspiring and want to become like you. Others feel threatened because you're leaving the flock.
We're tribal beings, so fitting in is a universal survival instinct.
They project their limitations onto you and try to keep you where you're at. I was terrified of being judged and misunderstood, not realizing this was a natural part of the process that needed acceptance.
The choice became crystal clear: build a legacy and serve people who want true transformation, or stay where I was, please people, and stay depressed.
That was a clear no. I had to go the other way.
The 3 Cs of Change Framework
This realization led me to develop The 3 Cs of Change™.
Innovation tools are powerful, but only if you have the inner foundation to use them effectively.
First C: Clarity.
Not just about what you're good at or what gets external validation. True clarity about who you are and what you stand for at your core.
Second C: Cleansing.
Identifying and releasing the programming and self-sabotage patterns that aren't aligned with your authentic self. The subconscious cleanup work that most people skip.
Third C: Creating.
Only then can we talk about tools that make you faster and help you create with momentum. Principles like prototyping forward that actually work because you're operating from clarity, not fear.
The transition looked like continuous inventories.
I examined who and what was draining my energy and created boundaries there.
For everything giving me energy, I created more space.
I became more clear and more energetic in that process.
My choices started coming from the intention of love rather than fear of losing somebody, losing the known, or losing people who clearly weren't in favor of my power.
Prototyping Your Entire Life
The third C changed everything about how I approached both business and life. Prototyping forward means failing early and often, celebrating both success and failure as learning.
I created an online course overnight with what I had: Slack and four women who wanted my tools. I launched two podcasts to test and train my skills before the third one stuck and aligned with my purpose.
I even prototyped my personal life. When my husband and I considered moving to the countryside, we didn't make a definite choice. We got a cheap flat where we tested our living situation, giving ourselves four seasons to really feel what it was like.
Most people think prototyping is just for products. I apply it to everything. The biggest misconception when people first try this approach? They're impatient and stay stuck in perfection.
Done is better than perfect.
Moving ahead with what you have is key. Not waiting for outside permission or the "right" circumstances is essential.
The Power Shift That Changes Everything
When I work with organizations and highly ambitious individuals now, leaders discover something surprising. Once they realize the problem isn't their strategy or tools but their own inner programming, they understand their power in this game.
This insight validates what research shows: transformations are 5.3 times more likely to succeed when senior leaders model the behavior changes they're asking employees to make.
The realization is incredibly empowering. Even though the world is changing drastically and that can cause numbness and fear, they know they can make a difference.
Be the change you wish to see in this world.
Your First Step Tomorrow Morning
If you recognize yourself in this story, if you're stuck in that failure rate because of your own inner blocks, here's what you do tomorrow morning.
Look into the mirror.
Make a hero pose.
For two minutes, repeat: "I'm good enough. I've always been good enough. I will always be good enough."
Do this exercise for 21 days and watch how things shift internally, then externally.
Be careful: this might get emotional at some point. Let it happen. Let the emotions come up and flow away. That's just cleansing.
Don't skip the exercise because of that emotional intensity. The discomfort means it's working.
The statistics are clear: 88% of business transformations fail to achieve their original ambitions. But when you address the 95% subconscious programming that's actually running the show, everything changes.
Your innovation projects don't have to be part of that 80% failure rate. The tools and processes work beautifully once you've done the inner work.
Start with clarity about who you are. Clean up the programming that's not serving you. Then create and prototype forward with the momentum that comes from operating out of love instead of fear.
The framework works because it acknowledges what most change models ignore: transformation happens from the inside out, not the other way around.
Hedi Schaefer is a global speaker and transformation expert blending innovation, identity work, and deep healing. Learn more at hedischaefer.com or connect on Instagram @hedi_schaefer / Linked In. Want more updates on the 3 Cs of Change? Register for the Change_liscious News here
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