Confusion Before Clarity

Not in a dramatic sense. More in a quiet, everyday way. We don’t like having too many open questions about our lives. We don’t like sitting with “I don’t know” for very long.

So when a decision shows up, especially an important one, we start hunting for clarity as quickly as we can.

• Should I stay or should I leave?
• Should I switch teams or not?
• Should I move or not?

Once we land on an answer, there’s a sense of relief. It feels like progress. It feels responsible.

But I’ve slowly started to believe that this instinct is often backwards.

Clarity is useful. But only after you’ve explored.

A common example I see, especially in careers, is around switching teams.

People usually think about it like this:
“Let me first decide whether I want to leave my team. And if I decide yes, then I’ll start looking around.”

On the surface, this sounds reasonable. In practice, it’s limiting.

Because you’re trying to make a decision about unknown options.

A better approach, in my experience, is almost the opposite.

Don’t decide yet.

Start talking to other teams. Have casual conversations. Ask what they’re working on. Sit in on a design review if you can.

At first, this doesn’t give you clarity. It gives you more confusion.

Now you’re aware of three interesting teams. Two boring ones. One that sounded great until you learned more. Your simple binary choice just became a messy web of possibilities.

That messiness is not failure. That messiness is information.

Only after you’ve seen what’s out there does the original question start to make sense. Now you’re no longer choosing between “stay vs leave.” You’re choosing between specific realities.

The same pattern shows up outside work too.

Think about deciding where to live. Many people pick a city based on a vague idea, a short visit, or someone else’s opinion. But when you actually visit multiple places, talk to people who live there, and experience them a bit, your preferences change. You notice things you couldn’t have predicted.

Again, more confusion first. Better clarity later.

I’ve started to see confusion as a phase, not a problem.

It’s the phase where your brain is collecting raw material. Where it’s updating outdated assumptions. Where it’s learning what it actually cares about.

Rushing to clarity too early feels good. But it often locks you into a decision shaped by incomplete data.

Clarity that comes after exploration feels different. It’s quieter. Less anxious. You’re not trying to convince yourself as much.

So if you’re standing at a crossroads, my suggestion is simple:

• Don’t rush to decide.
• Widen the search.
• Talk to people.
• Explore small possibilities.
• Let yourself feel confused for a while.

Then, once you’ve seen enough, let clarity emerge.

Confusion before clarity.

That order matters.