the best way to become a billionaire is to solve a billion-person problem. In Bold, Steven and I offer a highly practical playbook for doing just

think of problems as gold mines. The world’s biggest problems are the world’s biggest business opportunities.

I’ve said countless times that many of the world’s problems are going to be solved by entrepreneurs. The simple reason is that entrepreneurs are problem solvers.

A big problem usually signals a big opportunity. Be prepared to work long and hard for it. Don't be afraid to pursue multiple options, or multiple people at the same time. If one thing doesn't work out, you got back-up options. I promise you nothing is going to always work out.

What is your biggest problem, and how can I solve it?

Businesses solve problems. Businesses make the world better. There are too many problems for any one person to solve.

The worthwhile problems are the ones you can really solve or help solve, the ones you can really contribute something to.... No problem is too small or too trivial if we can really do something about it.

The greatest challenge to any thinker is stating the problem in a way that will allow a solution.

What problem do you face every day that nobody has solved yet?” or “What is a great company no one has started?” I will

Watson, Deep Blue, and ever-better machine learning algorithms are cool. But the most valuable companies in the future won’t ask what problems can be solved with computers alone. Instead, they’ll ask: how can computers help humans solve hard problems?

Whether chemists, physicists, or political scientists, the most successful problem solvers spend mental energy figuring out what type of problem they are facing before matching a strategy to it, rather than jumping in with memorized procedures.

You know, for any problem, no matter how big or complex it may be, there is a solution. All you have to do is find it. And, you can find it by organizing your approach, by attacking the problem emphatically with determination, by working long and hard, by applying your full brain power and by using wisely all the help you can get. You CAN solve it!

Become a Problem Seeker The best entrepreneurs are the most dissatisfied. They’re always thinking of how things can be better. Your frustrations — and the frustrations of others — are your business opportunities. Great ideas come from being a problem seeker. Analyze frustrations in your day, including the things that bother you at home, waste your time on your commute to work, or online. Here’s a list of things that bother me: What to make for breakfast that’s quick, healthy, and full of caffeine How to find a reliable house cleaner Where to go to dinner with my partner How to find my next therapist What kind of investment to make with some extra cash I received And these are just the problems I’ve encountered today. I could go on and on . . . and that’s the point! The number of things that can be better are endless — which is a gold mine for newbie entrepreneurs. The crucial first step toward entrepreneurship is to study your own unhappiness and to think of solutions (aka business opportunities) for you to sell.

The greatest tool we have for tackling our grand challenges is the passionate and dedicated human mind.