The Things You Know but Aren't Doing

There’s a quiet frustration that shows up in work, in leadership, and in life. It’s not confusion or lack of knowledge.

It’s knowing exactly what you should be doing…

…and not doing it.

You know you should:

• Have the conversation

• Set the boundary

• Follow the process

• Take the first step

• Stay consistent

  
  

You’ve read it. Heard it. Probably even told someone else to do it.

And yet—here you are. Still sitting with it.

That’s the tension. Not not knowing, but not doing.

We convince ourselves we need:

• More clarity

• More time

• More preparation

• A better moment

So we wait.

And while we wait, nothing changes. Knowledge doesn’t create change. Action does.

Where This Shows Up

It shows up in leadership:

• You know you need to address something, but you wait.

• You know expectations aren’t clear, but you don’t clarify the process or create the SOP.

• You know someone needs support, but you don’t make the time.

You know what works. You’ve done it before. You just haven’t started again. It becomes personal. You know something feels off, that something needs to shift, and you just haven’t acted on it yet.

And the longer it sits, the heavier it gets.

Why We Don’t Act

It’s rarely about capability. It’s about resistance. Change can be hard, even when we know it’s needed and not to mention the work it takes to roll out some changes can feel daunting and overwhelming. It’s uncomfortable, we fear how it will be received, and we don’t want to get it wrong.

So instead of acting, we think about acting. We analyze. We replay. We justify.

And we stay exactly where we are.

The Hard Truth

Knowing what to do doesn’t move anything forward. It can actually make it worse because you’re aware, but still stuck.

That gap between knowing and doing is where the frustration builds – and by the way, not just for you but for the team and maybe even other departments who rely on yours.

We can start questioning ourselves and doubting the approach. The reality is, if we know something isn’t work or could be more efficient it’s our responsibility to make a change or share with the powers that be to create a more productive, smooth, and cohesive environment.

So think about it:

• Are there processes that are frustrating for you or your team?

• When collaborating with other areas is there confusion, tension, barriers, or consistent frustration?

We need to ask ourselves what’s missing? What isn’t working and why? If you’re not sure, ask others impacted. People enjoy being part of the process to solution (especially if it’s something that makes them want to pull their hair out).

A Different Approach

You don’t have to close the gap all at once, just interrupt it. Gather the information to understand the frustration and once you have that, do one thing and let that be the catalyst to move forward:

• Send the message

• Start the document

• Have the first part of the conversation

• Take the smallest possible step

  
  

Action doesn’t just move the work forward. It changes your relationship with it and who knows, maybe gets some collaborative help so you don’t have to carry it all on your own.

Once you start, the momentum builds, clarity follows, and confidence comes back. Knowing isn’t the work, doing is.

Final Thought

If something has been sitting with you – something you know you need to do – that’s your signal to not think about it more but to move, even slightly.

☕ Do the thing you already know matters.