The Two-Question Method for Solving Almost Any Problem

When something breaks, goes wrong, or just feels “off”, it’s easy to jump straight into troubleshooting. But here’s the thing - diving into fixes without understanding the origin of the problem is like trying to patch a leak without knowing where the water is coming from.

That’s why there’s a simple, powerful starting point for solving almost any problem:

Step 1: Ask “When did this start?”

Pinpointing the moment the issue began creates a timeline. This narrows the field of possible causes and keeps you from getting lost in irrelevant details.

• In tech: “The server started crashing on Tuesday afternoon.”

• In business: “Sales started dipping after the last quarter.”

• In life: “I started feeling tired all the time around mid-June.”

Once you know the “when,” you can move to the next crucial question.

Step 2: Ask “What changed?”

Most issues don’t appear out of nowhere - they often follow a change. It might be something obvious (a software update, a new employee, a change in diet) or subtle (seasonal shifts, a new competitor, a change in process).

When you combine when and what changed, you can often spot the root cause immediately.

Example:

• “My laptop slowed down right after I installed the new photo editing software”.

• “Customer complaints increased after we shortened our phone support hours”.

• “I started sleeping poorly when I began drinking coffee in the afternoon”.

Why This Works

This approach works because it grounds problem-solving in facts instead of guesses. By creating a clear before-and-after picture, you eliminate huge chunks of uncertainty and can focus your efforts where they matter most.

Pro Tip:

If you can’t pinpoint a single “what changed,” list all possible changes and test them one by one. Even small, overlooked changes can have big impacts.