This 1 word can help with focus, productivity [Video]

Netflix has done a lot of things it’s said it wouldn’t, from becoming an ad-supported streaming platform to including live sports in its programming.

When asked why the company has repeatedly gone back on its word at the Fast Company Innovation Festival 2024 on Wednesday, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos explained that, at the time, those declarations probably felt accurate. And even though things clearly changed, there were work benefits to making such definitive statements, he said.

“‘Never’ is a focusing word,” said Sarandos, who’s held his co-CEO role since 2020.

Earlier this year, Sarandos expressed his disinterest in live-streaming sports to shareholders during an earnings call. This month, Netflix — which has a market capitalization of $303.04 billion, as of Thursday afternoon — announced that it’ll begin live streaming NFL games on Christmas Day.

The decision echoes Netflix’s introduction of an ad-supported subscription plan in November 2022, less than three years after co-founder Reed Hastings declared that the company wouldn’t include ads…