Brian JohnsonChairman & Philosopher in Residence at Heroic

The Right Kind of Crazy by Adam Steltzner (Heroic Wisdom Daily)

12 Jan 2026 · 1 min

You Are Heroic with Brian Johnson

12 Jan 2026 · 1 min

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In this one‑minute podcast excerpt, host Brian Johnson introduces Adam Steltzner’s book The Right Kind of Crazy, which recounts the NASA engineer’s role in landing the Curiosity rover on Mars. Johnson distills the book’s core messages: embracing uncertainty, questioning the status quo, and tolerating thoughtful risk are essential for breakthrough innovation. He stresses rapid iteration—testing early, failing fast, and learning faster—while highlighting that a purpose larger than oneself (the mission) anchors courage and sustains teams through obstacles. The overall call to action invites listeners to pursue their own “right kind of crazy” ideas with curiosity and courage.

Chapters

Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to Heroic Wisdom Daily. Today's book, The Right Kind of Crazy by Adam Steltzner, a firsthand story from a NASA engineer, the guy who helped land Curiosity on Mars, about how unconventional thinking, grit, and relentless curiosity solve impossible problems. Here's your 1-minute summary. Be comfortable with uncertainty. Real breakthroughs begin where existing rules don't apply. Crazy is just outside the status quo. Dare to ask questions others avoid. Innovation lives beyond conventional wisdom. Iterate quickly, test early, fail fast, learn faster. Ideas evolve through action, not perfection. Build a culture that tolerates thoughtful risk. Teams that support bold thinkers navigate failure without fear. Purpose anchors courage. A mission bigger than self. Keeps you pushing when obstacles loom. Progress doesn't belong to the cautious. It belongs to those willing to think, act, and persist beyond the expected. What crazy idea will you explore today with curiosity and courage? Here's to the right kind of crazy.