Why what you do is hard to explain

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(and what that actually means)

You may find yourself asking,
“How do I explain what I do?” or,
“How can I communicate it clearly so people can understand it?”

You’re not alone.

In fact, I commonly hear, “I know what I do… but I can’t explain it clearly.” This is often followed by assumptions about lacking clarity, confidence, or skill.

However, that’s rarely the case.

I’ve worked with many people doing meaningful, experience-based work – healers, guides, therapists, and others—who are deeply skilled at what they do. At the same time, they often struggle to explain their work to the very people who are looking for them, but don’t yet have the language to find them.

One of my clients said,“I just do it! Why can’t I wave my hands and people get it?”

Great question.

We live in a world of agreed-upon symbols – and words are symbols too. However, each person interprets those symbols differently.

For example, we can all stand around a plant and look at it. One person thinks it’s pretty. Another thinks it’s a weed. Someone else is allergic to it, so it feels harmful.

In reality, it’s just a plant.

So the difference isn’t a communication problem. Instead, it’s a translation problem. This aligns with what is often described as tacit knowledge—experience-based knowing that is felt and applied, but not easily put into words.

This often comes down to the difference between knowing your work and being able to express it clearly. There is a well-known idea in knowledge theory (Polanyi’s paradox) that speaks to this: we often know more than we can tell.

How does this apply to your work? 

Let’s look at this as a simple cause-and-effect pattern.

Cause

Your work exists internally as:

  • intuition
  • experience
  • emotional and energetic knowing
  • multiple interconnected ideas

It is:

  • non-linear
  • felt before it is defined

Effect

When you try to explain it:

  • language feels insufficient
  • descriptions feel incomplete
  • you simplify too much or overcomplicate

Result: 

From the outside, your work becomes difficult to understand or recognize.

The Second Layer of the Problem

Cause

You try to describe the work before it is fully clarified

  • essence is not fully articulated
  • audience is not clearly defined
  • transformation is not fully named

Effect

  • messaging feels vague or abstract
  • different explanations each time
  • difficulty answering “what do you do?”

Result:

Inconsistency creates confusion – for both you and others.

The “Marketing Language” Mismatch

This is a common experience.

Many people have worked with someone who tried to “fix” their messaging, only to feel like something was off.

However, it’s usually not you.

Instead, the work has been placed into language that doesn’t actually fit.

Cause

Traditional language:

  • prioritizes simplification
  • prioritizes persuasion
  • often doesn’t match the nature of meaningful work

Effect

  • your work feels reduced or distorted
  • your language feels unnatural or performative
  • you avoid using it

Result:

You begin to resist expressing the work at all.

What This Actually Means

If your work is hard to explain, it often means:

  • the work has depth that hasn’t been structured yet
  • the essence is felt but not articulated
  • the expression layer has not yet been developed

So, this is not a failure.

Instead, it’s a stage in the process.

This is the starting point of the Clarify stage within the Aligned Expression Framework[link].

A Simple Way to Begin (DIY Clarity Process)

Here’s a self-guided version of the Clarify stage from the Aligned Expression Framework.

Exercise 1 — What Does the Work Actually Do?

Write in plain language:

  • “This work helps people ______”

Repeat until it feels:

  • simple
  • specific
  • grounded

Exercise 2 — Before → After

This is a powerful reflection. It also helps you connect more clearly with the people you work with.

Ask them what they notice—after all, they know how they feel better than anyone else.

  • Before working with you, clients feel:
  • After working with you, clients feel:

Focus on:

  • emotional state
  • not outcomes or promises

Exercise 3 — Who Is This For (and Not For)?

  • This work is for people who…
  • This work is not for people who…

This sharpens:
Recognition

Exercise 4 — Say It Out Loud

Speak your work as if explaining to one person.

Notice:

  • where you hesitate
  • where language breaks
  • where it feels natural

This reveals:

Where clarity exists vs where it doesn’t.

Section 6 — What Changes When Clarity Begins

As clarity develops:

  • language becomes simpler (not smaller)
  • explanations become consistent
  • confidence increases naturally
  • people begin to understand more quickly

Shift:

From explaining → to being understood

Section 7 — When to Go Deeper

If someone reaches a point where:

  • they understand their work but still struggle to articulate it
  • they can describe parts, but not the whole
  • their presence still feels misaligned

Then:
At that point, more structured support can help.

There’s a stage where doing everything alone becomes difficult.
If you feel stuck, you’re welcome to reach out.

If you’re trying to clearly express your work but don’t know where to begin, an Alignment Session can help bring the core of your work into focus.

Closing

This process can feel overwhelming at times.

I’ve done this work myself, and yes, it can feel like herding cats.

However, you don’t need to solve everything at once.

Clarity develops through attention, not pressure. Over time, it begins to come together.

If your work feels difficult to explain, it may not be unclear.

It may simply be in the process of becoming articulated.

You don’t have to sort all of this on your own. Some people prefer to stay focused on their work while having support translating it into clear expression. This is part of the support I offer.

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