It’s Clarity We Need

June 2025

Most of the time, it’s not the external problem that causes the most distress. It’s the ambiguity surrounding it.

Uncertainty creates a unique kind of psychological friction. We tend to think we’re suffering because we don’t have the outcome we want. But often, what we’re actually missing is clarity—a coherent mental model of what’s happening, what it means, and what our role is within it.

Neuroscience supports this. The human brain is fundamentally predictive. It relies on internal models to interpret sensory input, forecast outcomes, and guide decision-making. When outcomes are unclear—when someone’s words and actions don’t align, when a situation offers mixed signals, when a decision is delayed—the anterior cingulate cortex flags a conflict. The amygdala, sensitive to uncertainty as a potential threat, escalates arousal. The result: elevated cortisol, impaired working memory, and compulsive mental loops. This is not metaphorical. It is physiological.

In short, the brain treats unresolved ambiguity as a danger. Not knowing where we stand—whether in a relationship, a job, or a major life decision—disables our ability to act. We stall not due to weakness, but because action without clarity is biologically expensive.

This explains why clarity can be more relieving than resolution itself.

A rejection hurts—but knowing allows us to reorient.
A diagnosis is sobering—but gives a name to the symptoms.
An honest conversation might sting—but replaces spirals with structure.

Clarity is what makes agency possible. Without it, the brain struggles to assess risk, select among options, or regulate emotion. The longer we remain in a state of uncertainty, the more our energy is consumed not by the actual challenge, but by the effort of simulating and defending against every possible scenario.

We don’t need to control everything. Nor do we need perfect information. But we do need coherence—enough signal to stabilize our internal models and move forward. That’s what clarity offers: not comfort, but cognitive footing.

So when you feel stuck or overwhelmed, pause and ask not “How do I fix this?” but “What am I not seeing clearly?” The answer might not solve the problem—but it will likely restore your capacity to engage with it.

Because more often than we realize, it’s not more control we need.

It’s clarity.