Scott Belsky
Optimize for Better Problems
Inspired by Scott Belsky episode
Scott Belsky says don't try to eliminate problems - optimize for better problems. You'll always have issues. Make sure they're the right issues.
Scott Belsky reframes problem-solving: you can't eliminate problems. You can only trade them for different problems. The question isn't 'how do we solve this?' It's 'is this the right problem to have?' A startup struggling with scaling infrastructure has a better problem than one struggling to find any users. Both are problems. One is progress.
Parenting is nothing but problems. Your baby won't sleep. Then they sleep but won't eat solid foods. Then they eat but won't stay in their bed. Then they stay in bed but won't get ready for school without drama. You never reach 'no problems.' You only reach 'different problems.'
The question is: are these better problems? A three-year-old having opinions about their clothes is a better problem than a three-year-old with no autonomy. A four-year-old testing boundaries is a better problem than a four-year-old who's afraid to assert themselves. Same stress level. Better problems.
You can't optimize for no problems. Optimize for better problems.
