“Thats a great idea”. This is something we hear often, or even say ourselves. It usually refers to an idea that in motion, something we hear about that someone is already doing.  When the idea of Uber first landed in peoples ears, I’m sure this was a common refrain.

“Thats a great problem” is less heard, yet this is the real source of many of the worlds greatest ideas. For what is an idea, if it doesn’t solve a problem?

The idea is the easy part. In fact it’s so easy that I often see altMBA students come up with thousands of ideas in a short amount of time. It’s stunning to me, and it’s stunning to them. Ideas are free, and ideas are powerful.

But the ideas that change the world are the ones that solve a problem for someone. It could be a problem of wanting to earn more money, or a problem of getting to the far side of town as quickly and cheaply and safely as possible. It could be a problem of getting the word out about your new venture, or a problem of wanting more status in your position. Problems are everywhere, and problems are valuable.

So the real question is not “how do I have more ideas?”. The real question is “How can I see more problems?”. Someone out there wants you to see their problems, wants you to understand them, and solve their problem for them. And they will be willing to pay you if you do it right.

Learning to see in the world is the first step to spotting the countless opportunities that surround us. Call it “paying attention”, or call it “watching carefully”, it all starts with empathy for those around you.