Signs You're Chasing Symptoms, Not Solutions
One of the biggest reasons businesses stall is because owners and their teams spend time, money, and energy addressing the symptoms of a problem — not the real problem itself. I’ve seen it countless times: a business owner thinks the issue is marketing, sales, staffing, or operations. They fix what looks broken on the surface, only to find that the same issues come right back.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The good news? Once you learn to spot the signs, you can stop chasing symptoms and start building true, lasting solutions.
Before diving into those signs, ask yourself these seven questions — they’ll help you pause and reflect before you pour more resources into a temporary fix.
The 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Early
✅ 1. What outcome am I truly trying to achieve — and is this tactic clearly tied to that outcome?
✅ 2. Have I seen this same problem (or pattern) pop up before?
✅ 3. Am I making this decision based on data — or on emotion, frustration, or urgency?
✅ 4. Does this solution address a surface issue, or does it fix what’s causing the issue?
✅ 5. Have I mapped out how this action fits into my bigger strategy?
✅ 6. If I stop this new tactic today, would my business be any stronger next month?
✅ 7. Have I brought in outside insight to help diagnose the root cause?
If these questions make you pause, that’s your first sign you may be treating symptoms, not causes. Now let’s look at seven common indicators that you’re stuck in the symptom-chasing cycle — and how to break free:
