"I love math:
it's repeatable & objectiveThe other subjects
are too 'up to interpretation'"--me, foolish high schooler
I studied engineering because I loved "problem-solving"
But problems come from many domains & languages
Markets rarely reward purists
College tests were consistent, built on an agreed-upon knowledge base
If none of my peers understood a problem, we'd curse the professor
That culture helped us push the frontier of human knowledge, but
Most problems aren't at the edges of science; they're between people
Newton figured out Calculus long ago, but billions still can't
The range of business problems dwarfs that of academia
Good engineers, consultants, & salespeople find solutions
but Great ones find deeper problems
They don't solve what emerged,
but what brought it up
Professionals aren't paid to answer,
but to further question
So what's the answer?
.
.
.
Wrong question
It isn't about solving
It's about starting a new relationship
It's about getting to know the problem
A problem well-defined is already solved
Profound solutions aren't "outside the box":
they come when you ask enough questions
to notice that "the box" was just a circle
The most difficult problems I face
have multiple tempting half-solutions
that only distract from the pursuit of clarity
We've already solved the small problems
We even solved solving with machines
so stop grinding your gears
The most worthwhile question
is the one you haven't asked yet
The very best even ask computers questions