Make Problem Simpler

When a problem arises, our instinct is often to scramble for a complex solution. We zero in on the fix, sometimes overlooking the possibility of changing the problem itself.

For a long time, I struggled with a minor but persistent annoyance: losing my place in a physical book. I'd pause reading, and when I returned, I'd often find myself on the wrong line, only realizing after a few paragraphs that I'd already read that section.

I turned to Gemini for ideas. It suggested all sorts of interesting bookmarks and systems—solutions that would definitely work. But then it hit me: "Why don't I just allow myself to always finish the entire page before stopping?" It rarely takes more than a minute to reach the end of a page.

When we face a challenge, the first question we should ask isn't just "How do I solve this?" but "Is this problem rigid or malleable?" Can we make the problem slightly easier to solve by shifting our own habits or constraints?

Interestingly, while Gemini offered many clever tools, it never suggested the simplest change of all: making it a habit to read to the bottom of the page so I always know the next page is fresh ground. Sometimes the best solution isn't a new tool, but a simpler problem.

Footnote: This post was generated by Antigravity based on my Obsidian note.