Secret to Solving Complex Problems: It’s Simpler Than You Think
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some great problem solvers. Despite their different backgrounds, they all shared one trait: they hated big, complex, hard problems. Instead of tackling massive challenges head-on, they broke them down into smaller, manageable pieces, turning the impossible into something easy.
Fourteen years ago, when I started my last company, I noticed people working hard to solve these overwhelming industry problems. It was exhausting to watch. That’s when I realized the best problem solvers didn’t attack the whole issue at once. They broke it down and chipped away until the daunting task became straightforward.
To explain this to others, I asked my wife to put our six month old baby in a highchair, place a watermelon on the tray, and encourage him to eat it (scroll to bottom to see that photo). Of course, it was impossible. Just like a child can’t eat a whole watermelon in one bite, we can’t solve big problems all at once. It’s absurd to try.
I didn’t think this was a groundbreaking idea. While I was fortunate to learn this early in life, I mistakenly thought everyone approached problems this way. But the more I observed, the more I realized that wasn’t the case. Many people are conditioned to believe that solving the most complex problems is a badge of honor. In grade school, the harder the problem, the more praise you got for working through it. It’s like a magic trick: the more difficult it appears, the more impressive it is to the audience when it’s performed.
But here’s the thing: if the magician showed you every step of the trick, it might feel less impressive to the crowd, but not to great problem solvers. They are fascinated by the breakdown. That’s where the real magic happens: understanding how a complex task can be simplified.
Take a math problem like 41x12. We didn’t learn that one when we memorized the times tables in second or third grade, and most people would freeze if asked to solve it on the spot in their heads. Instead of tackling it head-on, break it into 41x10 and add it to 41x2. Suddenly, it’s manageable because you have 3 simple computations instead of something that most of us don’t know off the top of our heads.
This is the cornerstone of agile thinking: breaking down overwhelming tasks into smaller, achievable goals. Whether it’s starting a new venture, a business challenge or a problem at home, tackling everything at once is too much. But breaking it into smaller steps leads to quicker progress and better results.
So, my free advice is:
Next time you face a big challenge, think about that watermelon on the highchair tray. Slice it down into bite-sized pieces. It will be easier to solve the real problem and you’ll even be able to discard the unnecessary parts (like the rind of the watermelon).
