Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Idea
Fall in Love with the Problem, Not the Idea
One of the most powerful refrains I’ve picked up throughout my research and innovation journey is this:
Our goal: fall in love with the problem, not the idea.
Why Problem Discovery Matters
It’s easy to get attached to an idea, especially if it feels exciting, unique, or inspired. But true innovation springs from diving deep into the problem: understanding the underlying friction, the unmet needs, and the root causes.
Having recently given a talk at Imperial College in August 2025 to participants of a buildathon organized by STEM Muslims and Redwood Founders, I emphasized this very point. Addressing a room full of vibrant builders, I encouraged them to resist the temptation of early solutions. Instead, I urged them to immerse in the real human challenges behind their ideas.
Lessons from the Buildathon Talk
At the heart of my talk was this message: the better you understand the problem, the more meaningful your solution becomes, whether you’re designing an app, developing a product, or conducting research.
I guided participants through interactive exercises:
- Dig Beneath the Surface: Ask “why” five times to get to the root of the issue.
- Observe Real Behaviour: Real problems reveal themselves in how people behave, not just what they say.
- Iterate on the Question, Not the Answer: It’s okay for the problem to evolve. In fact, that’s natural and encouraged.
Reflecting: What I’ve Learned (and Share with You Today)
- Start with empathy. Understand who’s impacted, what frustrates them, what they actually want to achieve.
- Validate early and often. Before building, test your understanding. Talk to users. Sketch workflows.
- Let go of love for your first idea. The first concept is rarely the final, and that’s not a failure; it’s progression.
- Problem clarity guides creativity. When the problem is clear, solving it becomes almost inevitable, because now you can precisely target what matters most.
A (Unviewable) Visual Resource
I prepared a deck to support this session, if you’d like to explore it further, here’s the link: Buildathon Talk – Problem Discovery.
Final Thoughts
Problem discovery isn’t just a phase, it’s a mindset. When you fall in love with the problem, your ideas become just one of many possible routes, and your journey becomes about impact, not ego.
May we all learn to listen better, observe deeper, and innovate more meaningfully.
