Why Your Brain Loves Vague Problems

(and How to Beat It)

Subtitle:
Clarity is not just helpful. It is a quiet act of power.

We’ve all been there. That vague, nagging issue rolling around in your head. You know something’s off. A process feels broken. A conversation didn’t sit right. A decision is looming. But when you try to talk it through or fix it, it slips away like fog.

It’s not that you’re avoiding it. You’re thinking about it constantly. Spinning through it on your commute, in the shower, as you lie in bed wide awake. The problem feels massive. So why is it so hard to articulate?

Your brain, in a strange way, is fine with the fog. Ambiguity feels safer. It protects you from having to act too soon, risk a mistake, or face a hard truth.

That is exactly why it needs to stop.

The Cost of Mental Loops

When we keep problems in our heads, we tell ourselves we are working on them. But more often than not, we are just ruminating. That kind of looping drains your mental energy. It feeds anxiety. It makes small challenges feel much bigger than they are.

It feels like thinking. But it is not solving.

Your brain will keep spinning in circles unless you interrupt the loop.

Why Writing It Down Works

This is where Kidlin’s Law comes in.
“If you can write the problem down clearly, you’re halfway to solving it.”

It sounds almost too simple. But the act of writing forces your thoughts to slow down. It gives structure to the swirl. Suddenly, what felt like everything becomes something.

You are not expected to know the solution right away. That is not the point. Clarity just means you finally understand what the real problem is.

Three Prompts to Break the Loop

If your brain is spinning and you feel stuck, pick one of these and write without editing yourself:

1. The part I’m struggling with is...
This helps you zoom in on the part that actually needs attention.

2. If I had to explain this to someone else in one paragraph, I’d say...
This shifts your thinking from internal chaos to clear communication.

3. What would I do if I had to act on this today?
This does not mean you will act on it now. It just helps reveal what matters most.

Why It Feels So Hard

Writing down the problem can feel like a risk. Suddenly it is real. You are no longer hiding from it or letting it float in uncertainty. That can be uncomfortable, especially if the problem touches something you have been avoiding.

But this is where the shift begins.

Once you write it down, it no longer owns you. You can question it, dissect it, and start to see options. You get to decide what to do next.