Focus vs Friction: Why Not Every Problem Deserves a Solution
There actually is such a thing as a bicycle with square tires. Importantly, it works!
Technically, it moves forward. Someone engineered a system of interlocking tracks that allow the square wheels to roll. It’s clever. It’s creative. It’s also completely unnecessary.
And that’s the point: just because something can be solved doesn’t mean it should be.
The Entrepreneur’s Trap
In business, this shows up far too often.
Entrepreneur’s reach a level of success by solving problems. A customer comes with a request. A team member proposes an idea. A new opportunity surfaces. And because it’s possible—and often because someone is willing to pay—we say yes and we solve it. Unknowingly, it becomes a habit.
We don’t stop to question, are we building square wheels for bicycles. That is, should this product or service even exist in our business at all?
Elon Musk’s Observation (and Why It Matters)
There’s a quote often attributed to Elon Musk about engineers spending time solving problems that shouldn’t exist in the first place.
That’s not an engineering problem. It’s a prioritization problem.
And for business owners, it’s even more dangerous.
Every “solution” comes with a cost:
- Time
- Labor
- Cash
- Attention
These are not infinite resources.
The Hidden Cost: Opportunity Cost
Every time business owners say yes to something marginal, they should question if they are saying no to something meaningful – time with their family, for example. This happens pervasively. “If I only had $X dollars in the bank today, then I could Y with my family…” Unknowingly, product A has – say – a 30% gross margin and product B has a 45% gross margin. All other things being equal, if the business owner focused on product B – the math is simplified, solved for the money goal, which solves for… the time they wanted – simply because 45% is much greater than 30%, and it is identified, known, and prioritized.
But that tradeoff is rarely visible – precisely because the business owner is busy.
Instead, it shows up quietly:
- Teams stretched thin
- Projects delayed
- Margins compressed
- Leaders feeling reactive instead of in control
Most do not feel the cost of the wrong work immediately. It is felt it later, when the right work goes unfinished – or worse yet a problem arises at an inconvenient time, occupying even more time.
Where This Breaks Down Financially
In our world, this becomes very clear when we start asking a simple question:
What is the gross margin on Project A vs Project B?
Most business owners cannot confidently say.
So, decisions get made based on:
- Revenue
- Urgency
- Customer pressure
- “We’ve always done it this way”
Instead of:
- Contribution to profit
- Resource efficiency
- Strategic alignment
Without that clarity, everything looks worth doing. Even the square wheels.
Focus Is a Financial Discipline
Focus isn’t just a leadership concept. It’s a financial one.
When you understand where your margins actually come from, decisions get simpler:
- Which projects to pursue
- Which customers to prioritize
- Which work to decline
And just as importantly: what to stop doing.
A Better Question
Instead of asking: Can we do this?
Start asking: Should we be doing this?
Because the businesses that scale are not the ones that solve the most problems.
They’re the ones that solve the right ones. This is achieved by choosing. One is selected, focused on and completed. The other is NOT. Full stop, bro. The other is NOT. That’s what a decision is. Ask your favorite AI assistant for a quick lesson on the root and history of the word, “decision”. It’s fun, actually. Please try it.
The Takeaway
The bicycle with square tires is impressive.
But no one actually wants to ride it.
In business, the same principle applies. Your job isn’t to capture every dollar that blows your way. It’s to decide what’s worth solving in the first place.
Step 1: If you don’t have clarity on where your margins are actually coming from, you’re likely solving problems that are costing you more than they’re worth. If that answer is your time – that sand has already fell through the hourglass. It doesn’t come back – making it the most precious currency we have. The good news is that our team at StraightForward has the experience to guide business owners through this discovery process – ultimately transforming the business owner into what they desire to be.
If this appeals to you – let’s talk. Schedule a Zoom meeting today and let’s have a conversation. We don’t pressure-sell you a “timeshare”. We have conversations. And we’ll have two more with you after that (30 minute sessions) at no cost – so you can feel at ease if we’re the right firm for you to move forward with.