GNT #151: One page of clarity saves weeks of rework

Welcome to Grow North Thursday - One idea each week to help you grow with purpose, earn sustainably, and design a life you love.

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A few years ago, I heard a simple question that changed the way I work.

"Are you solving the problem, or just reacting to the pain?"

I have built most of my career by leaning into the doing. 

Act fast.
Test.
Learn.
Adjust.

That bias toward action has served me really well. I’m comfortable experimenting my way forward.

But more than once, I've realized I was moving in the wrong direction because I didn't spend enough time clearly defining the problem up front.

In today’s newsletter, you will walk away with a simple 10-minute step to aim your action better without slowing your momentum.

Let's get to it.
 

Where action stops helping

Most high performers don't struggle with effort.

They struggle with clarity.

When something isn't working or growth slows, our instinct is to fix it. New tactics, new tools, new systems.

Sometimes that works.

Other times, we end up solving symptoms instead of the real issue. Months go by, we're still adjusting, and progress feels harder than it should.

This is where a simple idea is helpful:

→ If you can write the problem down clearly, you've already solved half of it.

Not because the solution magically appears, but because clarity changes what you act on.

The one-page rule I rely on

Before jumping into solution mode, I write one page. It usually takes about ten minutes.

It's not a strategy document or prep for a deck. It's just a page for me.

I answer three questions:

1. What is actually not working right now?
Name the friction clearly, without the story.

2. Why does this matter now?
What is the cost of letting this continue?

3. What would better look like in plain language?
Not perfect. Just better than today.

That’s it.

When I do this well, the real problem becomes clearer and the next action becomes far more effective.

My momentum doesn’t slow down. It gets cleaner.

The takeaway

A bias toward action is a strength.

Clarity is what makes it sustainable.

If you feel busy but not satisfied with progress, take a step back. Grab a page. Define the problem. Then act.

One page of clarity really does save weeks of rework.

I'm always rooting for you. See you next week.

-Colleen

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