The Spark
Seth’s post, “Unsolvable,” makes a sharp distinction:
A situation without a solution isn’t a problem, it’s a circumstance to live with. But most problems do have solutions. We just don’t like them because they’re hard, risky, or costly. Calling them “unsolvable” is tempting, but worse is pretending the problem doesn’t matter.
In other words: stop hand‑waving. If it matters, get honest about the price of progress.
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Holly’s take (on the go)
We default to familiar patterns and call it wisdom. But real creativity asks, “What would it look like another way - using our time, energy, and resources differently?” Most people aren’t anti‑solution; they’re anti‑discomfort. Creative answers usually come bundled with pain, trade‑offs, or opportunity cost. The job isn’t to wish that away, but to make the path bearable… and clear.
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Daniel’s reflection
Talking with innovators across sectors, a theme keeps popping up: frustration. Systems optimize for the past. Fear, uncertainty, and doubt crowd out the new. Innovators are “problem solvers,” but change stalls when everyone else feels unsafe. Choir robes on. We feel this.
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The translation gap (why change feels “unsolvable” for most people)
Most folks aren’t innovators. Safety > novelty for the majority.
Change = loss. Even good change costs familiarity, status, or control.
Bad rollout beats good ideas. If people can’t see it, they won’t do it.
Translation, not genius, is the lever.
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A simple playbook for solvable problems that feel impossible
Name the real problem + price. Write one line each: Problem / Proposed Solution / True Cost (time, money, comfort). If you can’t name the cost, you’re not ready.
Lower the barrier. Shrink the first step to something anyone can do in 10 minutes. Make the default path the helpful path.
Translate in plain language. No jargon. Say what will change for whom, by when, and how support works.
Pilot with safety. Pick a small group and promise a blameless retro. Success = learning, not perfection.
Stack tiny wins. Report weekly: What we tried / What we learned / What we’ll try next. Momentum is a change management tool.
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Try this this week
Reframe one “unsolvable.” Write two versions: “Why this is impossible” → “What we’ll trade to make it possible.”
Design a first step. Ship a 10‑minute experiment and put a date on it.
Borrow Mel Robbins’ “Let Them / Let Me.” Let others do what they’ll do; decide what you will do in response (your beliefs, boundaries, and next action).
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Why it matters
Calling problems “unsolvable” is a way to keep our comfort, but at what cost? Solving them—openly, with trade‑offs on the table—is how we build better teams, better products, and a better life.
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Your turn
What’s one problem you’ve labeled “unsolvable” in your world? What trade‑off would make it solvable, and what’s the first, smallest step you’ll take this week? Drop it in the comments so we can learn together!
