Imagine a better world. That's what entrepreneurs do.

Eugene Peterson writes,

A major and too-little remarked evil in our time is the systemic degradation of the imagination.

When the imagination is healthy and energetic, it ushers us into…wonder.

Most of what is served up today as the fruit of imagination is, in fact, the debasing of it into soap opera and pornography.

Right now, one of the essential [acts of service] in and to our ruined world is the recovery and exercise of the imagination."(lightly edited)

The first assignment for my New Venture Strategy class each term is to imagine a better world. 

Below is an excerpt from the syllabus. It may help you figure out a solution to a pressing problem. It may even lead to a starting a new business. Read the notes below and give it a try:

Your first assignment is to come up with an "I imagine a solution..." statement. You will give your statement as part of your self-introduction during the first class. (≤ 250 words)

Sometimes students think that these must be big problems like world peace or ending hunger. That is not necessary at all. Your problem could be quite ordinary.

This exercise is designed to give you a chance to explore or do a deep dive into a problem, a sector, a category.

Choose something that interests you.

Sentence: Imagine a world in which [problem is solved].  

Write a short blog post to accompany this statement (≤ 250 words).

The written piece will be posted in the blog by the beginning of Week 1

Follow this template for your post

Vision: "I imagine a solution to x problem" statement.
 
Problem: What is the problem? Who does it affect? Estimate number of people affected by the problem. Estimate the financial opportunity

Solution: How is this problem solved today? Competitive rivals? Substitutes? etc
For the purposes of this post, imagine that money is not the constraint.

How would you solve this problem? Write your answer in 25-50 words if you can. (Log lines for scripts are a good proxy for this. See this article on log lines )

Why are we beginning the class with this assignment? Entrepreneurship begins with imagination. Someone recognizes a problem or opportunity. Imagining a different reality than what currently exists is the first step towards coming up with a solution. In some cases, this is the beginning of a startup business.

If you are interested in the role of Imagination in creating the future, check this link from Bliss Browne at Imagine Chicago or this Wikipedia note on Appreciative Inquiry