I was working through a complex problem with a colleague.

After two days of planning, we came to a realization: we were overthinking things.

We paused to ask ourselves, “What’s the problem we’re trying to solve? No. What’s really the problem we’re trying to solve?”

Once we took a step back, we found clarity, and the best path forward was apparent.

The funny thing is, we couldn’t have started at the point where things were clear. We had to work our way through the muddy waters until the silt settled.