Have you ever worked hard to solve a problem, only to discover you were working on the wrong problem? We do this more often than we realize. We treat the symptom because it is the part we can see. We work longer because productivity is slipping. We become frustrated with a relationship because conversations feel tense. We blame our schedule because we are exhausted. We buy another planner, start another diet, reorganize the office, change the routine, or promise ourselves we will simply try harder.
Sometimes those adjustments help. But sometimes the visible problem is only the alarm. The real issue is somewhere underneath. That is what I call the problem behind the problem.
In the second half of life, this becomes especially important. We have accumulated responsibilities, relationships, habits, expectations, and years of experience. We know how to push through. We know how to compensate. We can become very skilled at keeping things running even when something beneath the surface is not working well.
But effort aimed in the wrong direction is still wasted effort. Before asking, “How do I fix this?” it may be more important to ask, “What is actually causing this?”
The Memory Fountain--and the Solution I Couldn't See
- Is this fountain bigger than I thought? Maybe I miscalculated its size.
- Am I not as strong as I imagined, or is the bucket smaller than I thought? Though, I don’t think I could have carried anything heavier.
- There must be a trick to this. Maybe it just looks like there’s still a lot of water–an optical illusion?
When Stress Becomes the Hidden System
The Wrong Target
This is why identifying the real problem matters. Suppose you are unusually irritated with your spouse. The obvious conclusion is, “He is driving me crazy.” Maybe there is a legitimate issue to address. But perhaps the intensity of your reaction is being amplified by three weeks of poor sleep, an approaching deadline, and worry about a family member.
Or your business has stalled. The obvious answer may seem to be, “I need more marketing.” So you post more, spend more, create more, and add another platform. But what if the real problem is that your message is unclear? More marketing simply broadcasts the confusion to a larger audience. If this is you, Donald Miller’s book: Business Made Simple is a great resource.
Maybe you cannot finish an important project. You label yourself a procrastinator and search for a better productivity system. But underneath the delay is fear: What if I finish it and people judge it? What if it fails? What if it succeeds and creates expectations I am not sure I can meet?
The visible behavior is procrastination. The problem behind the problem is fear. I am sure many listeners can identify with that issue.
But this does not mean every issue has a mysterious psychological explanation. Sometimes a broken faucet is simply a broken faucet. Sometimes you really do need a better calendar. But when the same problem keeps returning despite repeated effort, that is a good reason to look beneath the surface.
Find the Leak Before You Refill
My fountain taught me a simple principle: before you keep refilling, find out where the water is going and why it keeps circulating. We can apply that principle to almost any area of life.
When you notice a recurring problem, begin with facts rather than assumptions. What is actually happening? How often? When did it begin? What changed around that time? What tends to happen immediately before it? What happens afterward?
Then separate the symptom from the source.
If you are exhausted, “I need more energy” describes what you want, not necessarily what is wrong. If you are overwhelmed, “I need more time” may not be the complete answer. You may need fewer commitments, clearer priorities, better boundaries, help from someone else, or a difficult decision you have been postponing.
Next, ask what you are compensating for.
This is a powerful question because capable people become very good at compensation. We create workarounds. We rescue. We take over. We stay late. We absorb someone else's responsibility. We quietly refill the fountain every day and congratulate ourselves for keeping it full. This is an area where I often find myself living as I tend to have a lot of energy and can barrel through.
Eventually, however, compensation has a cost. So I need to pay attention to my own message!
Finally, we can ask: What would change if I addressed the source instead of managing the symptom? That question can redirect enormous amounts of energy
Truth Changes the Direction of Effort
There is an important word underneath this entire process: TRUTH. We cannot solve the right problem until we are willing to see it accurately.
Sometimes truth is measurable: the numbers show where money is going, data shows where customers are dropping off, or a calendar reveals that we have committed to far more than our available hours. I keep a physical as well as virtual calendar because of this. It helps me see the big picture of my schedule.
Sometimes truth requires honesty: we can say I am resentful. I am afraid. I have avoided this conversation. I am trying to prove something. I keep saying yes because I do not want to disappoint people. I am exhausted because I have confused being needed with being valuable.
Truth is not condemnation. It is useful information.
Once we see reality clearly, we can make meaningful adjustments. That was true with my fountain. The cleaning was not the mistake; cleaning was necessary. The mistake was assuming that cleaning and manually adding water addressed the whole problem.
The right solution did more than make the fountain look better. It restored the system to the way it was intended to function. That is a powerful picture for life as well.
From Busy Exhaustion to Forward Motion
There are seasons when life requires extra effort. Deadlines are real. Families need us. Businesses have demanding stretches. Unexpected problems arrive without checking our calendars first. There are many who are not only caring for their immediate family but their parents, stretched thin.
But there is a difference between purposeful effort and busy exhaustion.
Purposeful effort moves toward the source. Busy exhaustion keeps treating the evidence.
One creates progress. The other can keep us trapped in an endless cycle of cleaning, refilling, reacting, and wondering why nothing really changes.
This is especially important when we are asking, “What's next?”
The next chapter of life is not always about adding something new. Sometimes it begins by identifying what has quietly been draining the energy, clarity, confidence, or purpose we already have.
- Perhaps there is a leak you have been compensating for.
- Perhaps an alarm has been sounding and you have been trying to silence it rather than asking what triggered it.
- Perhaps you have been working extremely hard—but on the wrong problem.
The encouraging part is that awareness changes direction. Once you identify the problem behind the problem, your effort becomes more focused. Decisions become clearer. You stop throwing energy at symptoms and begin addressing causes.
And sometimes the breakthrough is surprisingly simple: you finally discover the auto-fill you never knew was there.
Power of After Takeaway
So this week, when something frustrates you, drains you, or keeps repeating, resist the immediate urge to simply work harder.
Ask three questions:
- What am I seeing on the surface?
- What might be happening underneath?
- Am I solving the real problem—or repeatedly cleaning up its effects?
The fountain still needs cleaning. Life still requires maintenance. Stress cannot be eliminated, and not every difficulty has a simple fix. But we can become much wiser about where we place our effort.
Because the goal is not to become better at refilling a leaking fountain.
The goal is to find the leak, understand the system, and restore healthy flow.
Sometimes the problem you can see is only pointing toward the problem that actually needs your attention.
Additional Resources
Move Beyond: From Brokenness to Purpose by Deborah Johnson: new late fall 2026! "Beauty isn't found in what was never broken; it's revealed in what has been restored.“
Women at Halftime: Principles for Producing Your Successful Second Half by Deborah Johnson: Will you merely face into the second half of life, operating with a tired and outdated strategy, living on autopilot? Or will you successfully reinvent yourself and climb to your personal peak of Hero Mountain? Chapter 4 includes Core Common Denominator®
Power of After: What’s Next Can be Your Most Purposeful Chapter by Deborah Johnson. This book helps you answer the crucial question, "What's next?" as you create your ideal business using AI and other current technologies.
Stop Circling: Steps to Escape Endless Roundabouts: provides both the inspirational perspective and solid tools to design an individual or professional future path and to get individuals there successfully.
Get The SUMMIT on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/4z3mDIs
HALFERS Position Free Download
YouTube Channel: Mindset & Mental Strength for Mid-Career Growth
Personalized Mentorship: Thoughtful guidance for your next chapter creating clarity, confidence & momentum.
The Summit book by Deborah Johnson
Goal Setting Worksheets-free download!
Hero Mountain Summit- a 5-month "Power of After" journey to help you answer "What's Next?" with your desired lifestyle & maximized skills and experience.
FREE Resources and links: https://GoalsForYourLife.com/DJWorks
YouTube Podcast Playlist: Women at Halftime/Power of After
The visible problem may be the alarm. Wisdom asks what is setting it off.
deborah johnson
Thought Leader, Keynote Speaker, Author
If you are interested in growing and learning, check out our online courses here: Online Learning
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