Business By Hormozi #165: The Solution to Hard Problems

The Case of Emma and the Overwhelming Deadline

Emma had a big deadline coming up. She was working on a project for a client that was crucial for her business, and the pressure was mounting. She’d been working long hours for days, and despite her best efforts, she couldn’t seem to crack the problem. Every time she thought she had found the solution, a new issue would pop up, making everything feel even more overwhelming.

Her to-do list seemed endless. Emails, meetings, drafts, research—it was all piling up. And with each passing hour, her sense of control slipped further away.

On the brink of exhaustion, Emma sat back in her chair, staring at the screen, feeling defeated. “There has to be a better way,” she thought. She’d heard people say that “sleep solves everything,” but at that moment, she felt like there was no way she could afford to sleep. If she stopped working, she feared everything would fall apart.

Then, she remembered a piece of advice she had once heard: 95% of hard problems can be solved with a good night’s sleep, a clear calendar, and a cup of coffee.

The Power of Sleep

It was a simple, almost humorous solution to such a complex problem. But Emma had nothing to lose. She decided to stop her work for the night, even though it felt counterintuitive. She took a deep breath, turned off her computer, and went to bed.

The next morning, Emma woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. She had given her mind the rest it desperately needed, and in doing so, it felt clearer. She made her morning coffee and sat down at her desk with a fresh perspective.

With the calendar cleared, Emma felt less overwhelmed. She could now focus on the task at hand without the looming presence of a thousand other obligations. As she took a sip of coffee and reviewed the project, she found herself seeing connections she hadn’t seen before. What seemed like an insurmountable problem the day before now appeared more manageable.

The Clarity of a Clear Calendar

But as Emma sat there, ready to tackle her project, she realized something important: Sometimes, a good night’s sleep and a clear calendar are all you need to get the clarity required to solve big problems.

By eliminating distractions and giving herself the space to think, she could approach her work with a renewed sense of purpose. It was clear that the clutter of her mind and calendar had been the real obstacle. She had been so focused on the pressure of the deadline that she hadn’t given herself the opportunity to step back and think critically.

The Coffee That Keeps You Going

Of course, there was one more piece to the puzzle: the coffee. Emma didn’t rely on it for her energy throughout the entire day, but after a good sleep and a clear mind, her coffee was the catalyst that helped her push through any lingering doubts. The caffeine acted as the spark that reenergized her brain and kept her motivated to finish strong.

As Emma dived into her project with this new-found energy and clarity, she felt confident that she could meet her deadline—and with quality work to boot. She knew she wasn’t just solving problems. She was approaching them with a refreshed mindset, an open calendar, and the momentum of a good cup of coffee.

The Takeaway

The lesson here is simple, but powerful: When facing hard problems, sometimes the solution is to take a step back and give yourself the time, space, and rest you need. A good night’s sleep, a clear calendar, and a cup of coffee are often all it takes to solve problems that seemed impossible the day before.

And for the 5% of problems that still seem unsolvable? Well, they just require a little more of all three. Keep going, stay focused, and remember: sometimes the best solution is to simply allow yourself the space to think clearly.