You may have noticed this when trying to explain what you do to someone the first time.
You begin speaking, and the words come out – but they don’t quite match the way your work actually feels.
They might sound:
Clear, but too simplified
Structured, but slightly off
Or complete, but not fully true
So you adjust.
You try different phrases.
You borrow language that seems to work for others.
You simplify things so people can follow.
And still, it feels like something is missing.
Because of this, describing your work can start to feel like something you have to figure out, instead of something that comes naturally.
If you recognize this, the issue is usually not that you lack clarity.
It’s because the way you’re trying to describe your work doesn’t match how you actually experience it.
What’s actually happening
Your work likely doesn’t exist in your mind as a clean explanation.
You don’t think about it as a sentence.
You know it through doing it.
Through noticing what shifts.
Through sensing what is needed in the moment.
This kind of knowing is often described as tacit knowledge, where understanding exists without needing full explanation.
Because of this, when you try to describe your work using structured or marketing-oriented language, it can feel like you are translating something into a form it was never originally in.
So the difficulty isn’t in your work.
It’s in how you’re trying to describe it.
Why this happens (patterns)
Most ways of describing what you do start with transactional language.
They focus on:
- What you do
- How it works
- The results it creates
Sure, that’s accurate, but your work likely developed differently.
It started with experience.
You noticed patterns.
You responded to what was in front of you.
You learned through doing.
Only later did you try to put that into words.
As a result, your understanding came before your language.
In cognitive science, this reflects how meaning is often formed through lived and embodied experience before it becomes verbalized, which means you can understand something deeply without yet having the words for it.
Because of this, when you try to describe your work using ready-made “marketing” language, it can feel disconnected.
What this means (reframe)
This doesn’t mean you need better wording.
It means your words need to come from the same place your work comes from.
Instead of asking:
“How do I explain this clearly?”
You might begin with:
“What actually happens when I do this work?”
Because when you stay close to the experience:
Your language becomes more natural
Descriptions become more specific
Your work becomes easier to understand
Over time, clarity doesn’t come from simplifying your work.
It comes from describing it more accurately.
Where this sits in the Framework
You may already notice parts of this process happening naturally.
You sense what is true in your work.
You try to stay aligned with how it actually feels.
You look for ways to express it more clearly.
These movements are what the framework later names as:
Clarify → Align → Express → Presence
But you don’t need to start there.
The framework is simply a way to organize something you are already doing.
If you want to see how this process is structured more fully, you can explore the Aligned Expression Framework.
A simple way to begin
Instead of trying to “describe your work,” start with something smaller.
Think of a recent moment where your work felt clear and natural.
Not perfect. Just clear.
Then describe:
- What was happening
- What you noticed
- What changed
Use simple language.
You might say:
“People usually come to me when…”
“What I tend to notice is…”
“Something shifts when…”
Let the description be unfinished.
Clarity builds over time, much like the work you do – it’s an organic process or evolution.
What begins to change
When you approach it this way, something shifts.
You stop searching for the right words outside of yourself.
You begin noticing the language you already use.
As a result:
- Your descriptions feel more grounded
- Words start to match your work
- You feel less pressure to “get it right”
Over time, your language becomes something people can recognize.
Not because it is perfectly structured.
But because it is accurate and true to what you do.
When to go deeper
These articles are designed to help you find your own way of describing your work, in language that feels natural to you.
Some people prefer to move through this process with support, so they can stay focused on their work itself. If that’s something you need, you may want to decide Where to Begin – I’m here to be your co-creator.
You may also find this helpful:
Difference between knowing and expressing your work
Closing
You don’t need to learn how to describe your work in a better way.
You need to describe it in a way that matches how it actually happens.
When you stay close to the experience, the words begin to form.
Slowly.
Naturally.
And clearly enough that the people who are looking for your work can recognize it.
If you find yourself with questions as you work through this, please reach out.
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.