“There are invisible problems all around us, ones we can solve. But first we need to see them, to feel them.”

My understanding

The biggest problems are often the ones I do not even notice. They blend into the background, hidden in plain sight. I adapt to them, work around them, accept them as part of life. Until one day, something shifts—I see them for what they are.

That is the first step. Seeing.

Every great innovation, every meaningful solution, started this way. Someone looked at the world and saw not just what was there, but what was missing. Tony Fadell himself saw this when designing the iPod, then later the Nest thermostat. Others saw it when creating things like the wheelchair ramp, the autocorrect feature, or even the sticky note. Problems most people overlooked became opportunities for those willing to notice them.

But seeing is not enough. I have to feel the problem, to care about fixing it. That is what separates an idea from a solution.

This quote reminds me that the world is full of invisible problems—until I choose to look. And once I do, I might just find something worth solving.

Reminds me

1. From Dieter Rams, “Limit everything to the essential, but do not remove the poetry.”

2. “A fool with a tool is still a fool.” I don’t know who said that, but it reminds me that tools, no matter how advanced, don’t replace knowledge or skill.

3. From Bill Moggridge, “If there’s a simple, easy design principle that binds everything together, it’s probably about starting with the people.”