Solving problems requires more than addressing symptoms. It demands that we trace those symptoms back to their source—to the root. The root problem is the underlying cause, the starting point, the foundation of what’s going wrong. Until you identify and address that root, every solution will be temporary. The issue will keep resurfacing in new forms, often more complex and damaging.
Think of a plant. If the leaves are turning brown, you can spray them, trim them, or cover them, but if the roots are diseased, none of that matters. The health of the root determines the health of the whole. The same is true in life. If your relationships, decisions, habits, or mental state are showing signs of distress, you must look deeper.
Surface vs. Root
A surface-level issue is what you see or feel. A root issue is what causes it.
Surface: You procrastinate on tasks.
Root: You’re afraid of failure or believe you’re not capable.
Surface: You keep arguing with someone you care about.
Root: There is unresolved resentment or a lack of clear communication.
Surface: You feel burned out at work.
Root: You’ve ignored your limits for too long, or your work no longer aligns with your values.
Until the root is exposed, effort goes toward managing the symptoms. This might offer brief relief, but it doesn’t solve the problem. It often adds more stress, because what you’re doing feels like effort with no real change.
Examples of Root Problems Behind Common Struggles
- Chronic stress
Root: A constant need to control things that are outside your influence. - Poor sleep
Root: Mental overstimulation from screens or unresolved anxiety before bed. - Relationship tension
Root: Fear of vulnerability, past wounds, or unmet expectations that were never clearly discussed. - Low motivation
Root: Lack of meaningful goals or disconnect between daily actions and deeper purpose. - People pleasing
Root: A belief that your worth is based on how others feel about you. - Overeating or substance use
Root: Avoidance of emotional pain, stress, or loneliness that has not been addressed directly.
How to Find the Root
- Ask “Why?” repeatedly
Like peeling layers from an onion, you can uncover deeper truths by asking why something is happening. Not just once, but three or four times. Each answer reveals a deeper layer. - Look for patterns
If the same issue keeps coming up in different places or relationships, it’s likely rooted in you. Repeating patterns are clues pointing to unaddressed sources. - Challenge your assumptions
What are you assuming to be true that might not be? What beliefs are driving your reactions? Sometimes the root is not a situation, but a belief you’ve carried for years. - Observe your emotional triggers
Strong emotional reactions are often signals that something deeper is being touched. Follow the emotion to its source. What does it remind you of? When did you first feel this way? - Be brutally honest
Finding the root requires discomfort. You may have to admit something you’ve been avoiding. A need for control. A fear of rejection. A part of yourself you don’t like to face. This honesty is the doorway to real change.
Why It Matters
When you address the root, you stop wasting energy managing symptoms. You solve the real problem, not its reflection. This creates lasting change. It brings relief that is not temporary, but foundational. It restores clarity, direction, and strength.
Whether it’s in your behavior, relationships, career, or emotional life, the root problem is rarely the obvious one. It’s buried. But when you find it, everything begins to shift.
The surface shows the damage. The root holds the cause. Find it. Understand it. Work with it. That’s how you heal, and that’s how you grow.
