Sometimes I have what I call “air bubble” problems. If you’ve ever put down a large sticker on something, you know that you have to avoid air bubbles. If you don’t, they get trapped under there – and pushing them down only makes them pop back up somewhere else. They’re tricky to get rid of entirely.
Some problems feel like that. You solve the immediate problem, but the solution causes some other problem, and solving that one cascades into a series of new ones. In some cases, you may even find yourself circling back around and causing the original problem all over again!
The economic adage is true: “There are no solutions; only trade-offs.” Sometimes you have to just look for the Pareto-optimal solution and take that deal when you find it.
But sometimes… sometimes you really can put a little hole with a pin in that sticker, let the air out, and then smooth it down. A little “tolerable destruction” can go a long way. And that’s the trick, I think. When you’re in that cycle of problems, look for what aspects of the current situation don’t actually have to survive. What things can you sacrifice for the solution you need?
It’s a trade-off, sure. But a different kind – and sometimes getting rid of something is a solution in itself.
The Opportunity Machine 