--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was just taught very early that if I…" description: "\"I was just taught very early that if I didn't solve problems, I was headed for a very dark path. Problems were everywhere. Now, even if there are no pr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/homaro-cantu-12750_dark_i-was-just-taught-very-early-that-if-i-d_240742.jpg" --- # I was just taught very early that if I didn't solve… ![“I was just taught very early that if I didn't solve problems, I was headed for a very dark path. Problems were everywhere. Now, even if there are no problems, I look for problems. I'm like, 'You know what? I don't like the way this spoon works. I want to design a new spoon.'” quote by Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/homaro-cantu-12750_dark_i-was-just-taught-very-early-that-if-i-d_240742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/homaro-cantu-12750_dark_i-was-just-taught-very-early-that-if-i-d_240742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/homaro-cantu-12750_dark_i-was-just-taught-very-early-that-if-i-d_240742.jpg) > “I was just taught very early that if I didn't solve problems, I was headed for a very dark path. Problems were everywhere. Now, even if there are no problems, I look for problems. I'm like, 'You know what? I don't like the way this spoon works. I want to design a new spoon.'” [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early exposure to problem‑solving shaped a habit of seeking challenges, even when none are obvious, driving continuous improvement. **In simple terms:** Learning to see problems everywhere fuels creativity. Key Takeaway Embrace a problem‑finding mindset. Themes creativity innovation mindset Mood curious driven Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - product design - engineering - personal growth - entrepreneurship Key Concepts design thinking continuous improvement Questions to Reflect On - What minor issue could you redesign today? - How does seeking problems affect your stress? A Different Perspective May lead to over‑engineering or unnecessary complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Dark Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark-path/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/) ## Related quotes > [Dont look for someone who will solve all your problems; look for someone who will face them with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-look-for-someone-who-will-solve-all-your-problems-look-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't look for someone who will solve all your problems; look for someone who will face them with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-spence/don-t-look-for-someone-who-will-solve-all-your-problems-look-for-3/) [John Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-spence/) > [One of the easiest ways to solve your problems is to look at how others have solved a similar problem. So, in this regard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-schiff/one-of-the-easiest-ways-to-solve-your-problems-is-to-look-at-how/) [Lewis Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-schiff/) > [In movies and TV, we tend to fall into tropes about how characters might get out of problems. But when you look at real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-weiner/in-movies-and-tv-we-tend-to-fall-into-tropes-about-how-characters/) [Matthew Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-weiner/) > [Don't look for someone who will solve all your problems. Look for someone who won't let you face them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pryncez-nika/don-t-look-for-someone-who-will-solve-all-your-problems-look-for-2/) Pryncez\_Nika > [I think we have some serious problems now, but, if you look back over the last thirty or forty years that my book deals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-abrams/i-think-we-have-some-serious-problems-now-but-if-you-look-back-over/) [Floyd Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-abrams/) > [Problems often look overwhelming at first. The secret is to break problems into small, manageable chunks. If you deal with those, you're done before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/problems-often-look-overwhelming-at-first-the-secret-is-to-break/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When you are a hammer, all of your problems will look like nails to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/when-you-are-a-hammer-all-of-your-problems-will-look-like-nails-to-you/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Problems look mighty small from 150 miles up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-b-chaffee/problems-look-mighty-small-from-150-miles-up/) Roger B. Chaffee > [And I thought I had problems? Look at your face!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-lynes/and-i-thought-i-had-problems-look-at-your-face/) [Russell Lynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-lynes/) > [If you look for problems, you will find problems; if you look for solutions, you will find solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/if-you-look-for-problems-you-will-find-problems-if-you-look-for/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [Well, some mathematics problems look simple, and you try them for a year or so, and then you try them for a hundred years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wiles/well-some-mathematics-problems-look-simple-and-you-try-them-for-a/) [Andrew Wiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wiles/) > [Some mathematics problems look simple, and you try them for a year or so, and then you try them for a hundred years, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wiles/some-mathematics-problems-look-simple-and-you-try-them-for-a-year-or-2/) [Andrew Wiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wiles/) > [Don't look for someone who will solve all your problems. Look for someone who will never let you face them alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-look-for-someone-who-will-solve-all-your-problems-look-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't look for someone who will solve all your problems¦ Look for someone who won't let you face them alone.U](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/don-t-look-for-someone-who-will-solve-all-your-problems-look-for-4/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) ## More by Homaro Cantu > [My wife and I are always concerned about how long it's going to take to eat out. You just don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/my-wife-and-i-are-always-concerned-about-how-long-it-s-going-to-take/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [From food trucks to hot dog stands to county fair favorites, 'street food' has enjoyed a rich and storied history in American cuisine. However,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/from-food-trucks-to-hot-dog-stands-to-county-fair-favorites-street/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [If you could eat portions of pine trees, you could eliminate corn in many ways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/if-you-could-eat-portions-of-pine-trees-you-could-eliminate-corn-in/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [A molecular gastronomist is really just someone who explores the world of science and food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/a-molecular-gastronomist-is-really-just-someone-who-explores-the/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Cooking classes are a great way to hone your skills, learn new recipes, and meet like-minded friends. Spending time in the kitchen with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/cooking-classes-are-a-great-way-to-hone-your-skills-learn-new-recipes/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Every month, about 20 tons of paper are wasted in restaurant menus alone, and so, you know, by that rationale, if you just ate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/every-month-about-20-tons-of-paper-are-wasted-in-restaurant-menus/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Sweet treats are as much a part of our culture as they are our taste palettes, and it can sometimes seem as though sugary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/sweet-treats-are-as-much-a-part-of-our-culture-as-they-are-our-taste/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [The interesting thing about the miracle berry in chemo patients is that it actually straightens out their taste buds, whereas for you and I,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/the-interesting-thing-about-the-miracle-berry-in-chemo-patients-is/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Things that are ultimately complex must have a simple end user experience if they are to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/things-that-are-ultimately-complex-must-have-a-simple-end-user/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Obsolescence is the key to innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/obsolescence-is-the-key-to-innovation/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Algae is the perfect food plant. It doubles cell mass every twelve hours, depending on the strain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/algae-is-the-perfect-food-plant-it-doubles-cell-mass-every-twelve/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [If you have time-release pills, you could have time-release expanding cheesecakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/if-you-have-time-release-pills-you-could-have-time-release-expanding/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [Lots of the cooking classes open to non-professionals are too low-level for experienced foodies, or don't offer enough hands-on training.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/lots-of-the-cooking-classes-open-to-non-professionals-are-too-low/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [The Japanese have a long lifespan in part because they eat different forms of algae.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/the-japanese-have-a-long-lifespan-in-part-because-they-eat-different/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) > [The only projects that excite me have to be tied to some aspect of social change. No matter how beautiful, a coffee book doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homaro-cantu/the-only-projects-that-excite-me-have-to-be-tied-to-some-aspect-of/) [Homaro Cantu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) [Explore all 53 Homaro Cantu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homaro-cantu/) ## More Dark quotes > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [“I could see her will leaving and death seeping through her skin to skewer her soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-stroube/i-could-see-her-will-leaving-and-death-seeping-through-her-skin-to/) [J.D. Stroube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-stroube/) > [The soul wanders in the dark, until it finds love. And so, wherever our love goes, there we find our soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-zimmerman/the-soul-wanders-in-the-dark-until-it-finds-love-and-so-wherever-our/) [Mary Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-zimmerman/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [All comedy comes from a dark place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katt-williams/all-comedy-comes-from-a-dark-place/) [Katt Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katt-williams/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Memory revises me. Even now a letter comes from a place I don’t know, from someone with my name and postmarked years ago, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-young-lee/memory-revises-me-even-now-a-letter-comes-from-a-place-i-don-t-know/) [Li-Young Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-young-lee/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Let death bless me with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-death-bless-me-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what do you call/that space between the dark geographies of sex?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethaway/what-do-you-call-that-space-between-the-dark-geographies-of-sex/) Natasha Trethaway > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) Nicole Gentile > [Even in the dark your shadow is like a guide to me! you are my rising sun that brings forth hope just as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkemjika-linus/even-in-the-dark-your-shadow-is-like-a-guide-to-me-you-are-my-rising/) [Nkemjika Linus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkemjika-linus/) [Browse all 10,198 Dark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was just taught very early that if I didn't solve problems, I was headed for a very dark path. Problems were everywhere. Now, even if there are no problems, I look for problems. I'm like, 'You know what? I don't like the way this spoon works. 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