Last week I had the chance to do something good . . . and missed it. I wasn’t thinking. Mind was elsewhere, not tracking in the moment. Failed.

But I spent time afterwards thinking about it to know exactly what I’d do next time. Could turn into a gain down the road.

The same is true of problems. The best thing to do with a problem is to articulate what it is. That’s the first step toward innovation. Whether you’re building the Hoover Dam or helping a student reconcile with her parents, accomplishments begin as clearly articulated problems.

Failure and problems are our friends.