---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 'Big' problems are overwhelming, but when…"
description: "\"'Big' problems are overwhelming, but when we distil them down to their simplest forms, then the solutions become simple, too.\" — Taavet Hinrikus"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/taavet-hinrikus-9070_become_big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-w_1543114.jpg"
---

#  'Big' problems are overwhelming, but when we distil them…

![“'Big' problems are overwhelming, but when we distil them down to their simplest forms, then the solutions become simple, too.” quote by Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/taavet-hinrikus-9070_become_big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-w_1543114.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/taavet-hinrikus-9070_become_big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-w_1543114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/taavet-hinrikus-9070_become_big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-w_1543114.jpg)

> “'Big' problems are overwhelming, but when we distil them down to their simplest forms, then the solutions become simple, too.”

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Breaking complex problems into basic elements reveals simple solutions.

**In simple terms:** Simplify big problems to solve them easily.

Key Takeaway

Decompose challenges to their core parts.

Themes

problem solving simplicity innovation analysis

Mood

analytical pragmatic

Type

inspirational practical

When to use this quote

- product design
- software debugging
- strategic planning
- education

Key Concepts

systems thinking reductionism creative strategy

Questions to Reflect On

- Which components of a problem are truly essential?
- How can you balance simplicity with completeness?

A Different Perspective

Oversimplification may ignore essential nuances.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Problem solving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem-solving/) [Problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problems/)

## Related quotes

> [“When my problems seem overwhelming and impossible to solve, I hold fast to these facts: God is real, He is right, and He cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/when-my-problems-seem-overwhelming-and-impossible-to-solve-i-hold/)

[Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/)

> [It's very satisfying to take a problem we thought difficult and find a simple solution. The best solutions are always simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-sutherland/it-s-very-satisfying-to-take-a-problem-we-thought-difficult-and-find/)

[Ivan Sutherland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-sutherland/)

> [The solutions all are simple - after you have arrived at them. But they're simple only when you know already what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-solutions-all-are-simple-after-you-have-arrived-at-them-but-they/)

[Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/)

> [The best solutions are often simple, yet unexpected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/the-best-solutions-are-often-simple-yet-unexpected/)

[Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/)

> [ “We have 2 big problems here: 1\] knowing when to start 2\] knowing when to stop” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-have-2-big-problems-here-1-knowing-when-to-start-2-knowing-when-to/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [When you have a big problem to solve, break it down to smaller ones first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siddharth-katragadda/when-you-have-a-big-problem-to-solve-break-it-down-to-smaller-ones/)

[Siddharth Katragadda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siddharth-katragadda/)

> [The key thing about all the world's big problems is that they have to be dealt with collectively. If we don't get collectively smarter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/the-key-thing-about-all-the-world-s-big-problems-is-that-they-have-to/)

[Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/)

> [I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-for-a-lot-of-years-then-after/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [There is a big problem. The problem is the country borrowed too much. We went on a borrowing binge, there was a housing boom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/there-is-a-big-problem-the-problem-is-the-country-borrowed-too-much/)

[George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/)

> [I'm not anti-Muslim, I'm not anti-immigration; I'm saying we've got big problems in our cities. It's not very smart to make the problem bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pim-fortuyn/i-m-not-anti-muslim-i-m-not-anti-immigration-i-m-saying-we-ve-got-big/)

[Pim Fortuyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pim-fortuyn/)

> [We're facing growing climate change, more floods, more droughts, more crisis on a planetary level, and the systems we put in place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/we-re-facing-growing-climate-change-more-floods-more-droughts-more/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [I do have a very, very big problem with someone who saw me coming and exploited me as a mascot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-vine/i-do-have-a-very-very-big-problem-with-someone-who-saw-me-coming-and/)

[Stella Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-vine/)

> [Its a big problem for American movies that all their movies are produced to be global.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-a-big-problem-for-american-movies-that-all-their-movies-are/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/)

[John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/)

## More by Taavet Hinrikus

> [When a new hire is afraid to roll up their sleeves and get things done, it's a clear sign it's not going to work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/when-a-new-hire-is-afraid-to-roll-up-their-sleeves-and-get-things/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [There are so many instances in banking where 'free' simply doesn't mean free, whether it's opaque overdraft charges or credit card providers that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/there-are-so-many-instances-in-banking-where-free-simply-doesn-t-mean/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [Building a business is a marathon, not a sprint. I don't believe it when people tell me they've been working 80-hour weeks for five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/building-a-business-is-a-marathon-not-a-sprint-i-don-t-believe-it/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [In 2011, when we launched TransferWise, it was our frustration with banks not giving us what we wanted or needed as customers. The motivation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/in-2011-when-we-launched-transferwise-it-was-our-frustration-with/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [Scaling a business at speed can feel like an out of control roller-coaster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/scaling-a-business-at-speed-can-feel-like-an-out-of-control-roller/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [The financial crisis of 2008 created a seismic shift in the dynamics of trust in financial services. FinTech would have happened without the global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/the-financial-crisis-of-2008-created-a-seismic-shift-in-the-dynamics/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [Costs should always be presented up front so that consumers can make informed choices and get a fairer deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/costs-should-always-be-presented-up-front-so-that-consumers-can-make/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [Securing and attracting the best talent is an obsession in the tech industry for good reason. It's your main asset; it's your edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/securing-and-attracting-the-best-talent-is-an-obsession-in-the-tech/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [Historically, people have flocked to Silicon Valley because of the belief that that's where the latest innovation is happening. It's a snowball effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/historically-people-have-flocked-to-silicon-valley-because-of-the/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [Sometimes, companies are better placed than politicians and governments to make change happen. That doesn't mean that they should not be held to account…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/sometimes-companies-are-better-placed-than-politicians-and/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [A preoccupation with job title is an immediate giveaway that someone's priorities are not in line with the company's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/a-preoccupation-with-job-title-is-an-immediate-giveaway-that-someone/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [The growth of FinTech has been driven by adoption across age groups, but the demand from the millennial generation to innovate and think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/the-growth-of-fintech-has-been-driven-by-adoption-across-age-groups/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [As consumers in general, and with Millennials in particular, we're getting used to everything being cheaper, faster, better - and banks aren't keeping up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/as-consumers-in-general-and-with-millennials-in-particular-we-re/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [There's always been a lot of interest in the tech community about how to foster innovation and creativity - both within a company but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/there-s-always-been-a-lot-of-interest-in-the-tech-community-about-how/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

> [Traditional consumer finance has been unfair for decades. Banks have had a monopoly on financial services and have been able to overcharge and underserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/traditional-consumer-finance-has-been-unfair-for-decades-banks-have/)

[Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

[Explore all 75 Taavet Hinrikus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/)

## More Become quotes

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I don't own designer clothes, or a sports car, or a huge house, but I am seeing the world, experiencing amazing things, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roz-savage/i-don-t-own-designer-clothes-or-a-sports-car-or-a-huge-house-but-i-am/)

[Roz Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roz-savage/)

> [A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ehud-barak/a-strong-responsible-israel-can-become-a-stabilizer-in-such-a/)

[Ehud Barak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ehud-barak/)

> [If someone has the opportunity to become a model, I would say, 'Do it.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-russell/if-someone-has-the-opportunity-to-become-a-model-i-would-say-do-it/)

[Cameron Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-russell/)

> [I had a talent for copying the signatures of dignitaries like Indira Gandhi, Amitabh Bachchan and so on. So, I wanted to become someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-mishra/i-had-a-talent-for-copying-the-signatures-of-dignitaries-like-indira/)

[Sanjay Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-mishra/)

> [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/)

[James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/)

> [You can never tell when a commercial space venture will suddenly become viable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/you-can-never-tell-when-a-commercial-space-venture-will-suddenly/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/)

[Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/)

> ['Inequality' has become the political theme/slogan of our time in both Europe and the U.S., yet political leaders do not even bother to consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-singer/inequality-has-become-the-political-theme-slogan-of-our-time-in-both/)

[Paul Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-singer/)

> [My first bill to become law repeals regulations to make everyday life easier and more affordable for Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/my-first-bill-to-become-law-repeals-regulations-to-make-everyday-life/)

[Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/)

> [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/)

[Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/)

> [For many of us, work is the one place where we feel appreciated. The things that we long to experience at home - pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlie-russell-hochschild/for-many-of-us-work-is-the-one-place-where-we-feel-appreciated-the/)

[Arlie Russell Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlie-russell-hochschild/)

> [With every interview you feel like you lose a piece of yourself, and with every bad review you become just that little bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-march/with-every-interview-you-feel-like-you-lose-a-piece-of-yourself-and/)

[Jane March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-march/)

> [Canada has become such a staging area for Chinese money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-kwan/canada-has-become-such-a-staging-area-for-chinese-money/)

[Kevin Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-kwan/)

> [Sometimes when you're in different countries, everything has become so homogenised and there's a Starbucks and McDonald's everywhere, and you could feel like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-yun-lee/sometimes-when-you-re-in-different-countries-everything-has-become-so/)

[Will Yun Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-yun-lee/)

Browse all 4,184 Become quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "'Big' problems are overwhelming, but when we distil them down to their simplest forms, then the solutions become simple, too.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Taavet Hinrikus"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-we-distil-them-down-to-their/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Become"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-we-distil-them-down-to-their/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/taavet-hinrikus-9070_become_big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-w_1543114.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/taavet-hinrikus-9070_become_big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-w_1543114.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e6/taavet-hinrikus-9070_become_big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-w_1543114.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“'Big' problems are overwhelming, but when we distil them down to their simplest forms, then the solutions…” — Taavet Hinrikus",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Taavet Hinrikus",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "'Big' problems are overwhelming, but when...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-we-distil-them-down-to-their/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/big-problems-are-overwhelming-but-when-we-distil-them-down-to-their/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
