I was asked a question recently that stopped me in my tracks.
“What problem do you solve?”
Simple enough, right?
Except the more I thought about it, the more I realised how many of us struggle to answer it.
We know what we do.
We know our qualifications, experience and expertise.
We know the services we offer.
But that’s not the same as understanding the problem we’re solving.
As I’ve been reflecting on my own work, I’ve realised that most people don’t come to me because they need more information.
They already know what they should do.
They know they need to have the conversation.
Make the decision.
Set the boundary.
Back themselves.
Put themselves forward.
Lead differently.
The challenge is rarely a lack of knowledge.
It’s that they’re stuck.
Caught between where they are and where they want to be.
Caught between certainty and possibility.
Caught between what feels comfortable and what growth requires.
Whether I’m speaking to leaders, business owners or ambitious women, I see the same thing.
People waiting.
Waiting until they feel more confident.
Waiting until they have more certainty.
Waiting until the timing feels right.
Waiting until they know they won’t fail.
The problem is that growth rarely works that way.
Confidence often comes after the decision.
Clarity often comes after the first step.
Momentum often comes after action.
Perhaps the real question isn’t, “What problem do you solve?”
Perhaps it’s:
What decision are you avoiding right now?
Because the longer we avoid it, the more energy it consumes.
And sometimes the next chapter of our life, leadership or business is waiting on the other side of a choice we’ve been postponing.