Gravity problems
As I write the second edition of 21st Century Jobs (along with Jaroslav Tusek), I'm reading a book called Designing your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. One intriguing idea they offer is the gravity problem.
In essence, a gravity problem is one that rests on something you cannot change, the effects of gravity being the example. You might wish you could bicycle up a hill with the same ease as on flat land, but gravity will prevent you.
People often get stuck on a gravity problem--a situation that causes discomfort, or even misery, which you are stuck with.
Examples might be as follows:
Often when people are unable to move forward in life by using their current opportunities, it's because they are holding themselves back with a gravity problem.
Burnett and Evans suggest that you reframe your unsolvable gravity problem as a real problem--one that can be solved by designing a new model and acting to make that model real.
An example might be this:
Do you have a gravity problem? How can you turn it into a real, solvable design problem?
In essence, a gravity problem is one that rests on something you cannot change, the effects of gravity being the example. You might wish you could bicycle up a hill with the same ease as on flat land, but gravity will prevent you.
People often get stuck on a gravity problem--a situation that causes discomfort, or even misery, which you are stuck with.
Examples might be as follows:
- I wish I had majored in Finance, not French, in college. It's too expensive to go back to college now.
- If only I had not married James (or Ali, etc.), I'd be so much better off. The marriage ruined my life.
- My biggest mistake was not having children. Now I am too old/busy/without a partner.
- I should have left my country years before I did. I wasted my youth.
You can see the trend: gravity problems are not really problems.
They are facts that can't be changed.
Often when people are unable to move forward in life by using their current opportunities, it's because they are holding themselves back with a gravity problem.
Burnett and Evans suggest that you reframe your unsolvable gravity problem as a real problem--one that can be solved by designing a new model and acting to make that model real.
An example might be this:
- Gravity problem: I am too old to make any changes in my career, even though I am not happy with things as they are.
- Solvable problem: I want to get another job because the one I have is boring and stressful at the same time. I will keep track of what I do like about my current job to figure out what other jobs would suit me better. Once I have some information, I will actively explore other jobs through information interviews, volunteer activities. and/or internships. Then I can design a job that fits me well.
Do you have a gravity problem? How can you turn it into a real, solvable design problem?
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