Being vague about what we want typically does not help anyone. It doesn’t help an employee you want to do something, it doesn’t help yourself and expectations you set for yourself, and it doesn’t help your spouse if you’re asking for a favor.

But getting clear can be hard. Can’t you just read my mind? My mind that has just a vague idea of what I want!

If you want someone, including yourself, to do something, how can you first get really clear about what it is?

I don’t have the answer. But asking others makes me realize when I have nothing specific enough for someone else to act upon!

And sometimes it’s okay to say “here is a problem I have, do you have any ideas for how to solve it?”