When we were in Oxford earlier this year for the Global Challenge, the recurring theme was the idea that entrepreneurs should fall in love with the problem, not the solution. This is particularly true of entrepreneurs that are aiming to have a social impact.

It sounds like a very simple thing to do, but it is far from it. When you pour your life into developing a product, a system or a business it is very easy to become infatuated with it. It’s your baby, and you become proud, protective and possessive.

However, this can cause a kind of myopia and might cause you to miss warning signs that your solution isn’t working. Your solution could be built to perfection, but it doesn’t actually solve the problem. It also means you might neglect other solutions that could solve the problem better.

By falling in love with the problem instead, an entrepreneur is able to pivot quickly from one solution to another, without becoming too attached to their original idea. They can set their egos aside and focus on what needs to be done

It’s a difficult psychological barrier to break down, but once you fall in love with your problem you’re much better positioned to solve it.

Image is from the pilot of our new startup. Our app isn’t nearly as ready as it should be, and it’s a little scary putting it into the field so soon. However, it means we can learn about how well it fixes the problem and then begin adjusting as necessary