Anthony Garone
Resources Clarity Session Private Advisory
Resources

Too Close to See It Inventory

For when you know something is off but cannot quite name it.

The exercise

Some problems are hard to see because they are too close, not because you are unintelligent. Rate each statement from 1 to 5: 1 = not true, 3 = somewhat true, 5 = very true.

Circling

  1. I keep revisiting the same issue without meaningful movement.
  2. I can explain the situation well but still do not know what to do.
  3. I keep waiting for more clarity before acting.
  4. I suspect I already know part of the answer.
  5. The issue has lasted longer than I want to admit.

Avoidance

  1. There is a conversation I know I probably need to have.
  2. There is a decision I keep postponing.
  3. I use complexity to justify delay.
  4. I am protecting someone’s impression of me.
  5. I am afraid of what action would make obvious.

Misalignment

  1. My calendar does not match what I say matters.
  2. My commitments do not match my actual capacity.
  3. My work is active but not cleanly directed.
  4. I am maintaining obligations that no longer fit.
  5. I am succeeding in ways that do not feel aligned.

Outside perspective

  1. People close to me may see something I am not admitting.
  2. I have grown tired of my own explanations.
  3. I want someone to be honest with me, but I am not sure I will like what they say.
  4. I do not need more motivation. I need a cleaner view.
  5. I am ready to act if I can see the next step clearly.
Completion promptThe three statements I scored highest are ________. Together, they suggest I may need to look at ________.
Use this with AI

If you use ChatGPT, Claude, or another AI tool, paste your completed answers below this prompt to help organize your thinking.

I completed the Too Close to See It Inventory. Help me organize my answers without over-dramatizing them.

Look for:
1. The strongest pattern in my highest scores.
2. What I may be circling, avoiding, or refusing to name.
3. The clearest next question I should answer.
4. One concrete next step that would create movement.

Do not flatter me. Do not turn this into therapy. Be direct, practical, and concise.

Here are my answers:
Scoring
  • 20–39: This may be a normal hard decision or temporary fog. Pick one small next step and revisit in a week.
  • 40–59: Something is probably unresolved. Complete The Issue Under the Issue or Decision Friction Map.
  • 60–79: You are likely circling a real pattern, decision, or contradiction. Outside perspective may be useful.
  • 80–100: This issue is probably consuming more energy than you realize. Bring the answers to a serious conversation.

If this creates clarity but not movement

That is useful information. Sometimes the problem is not that you need more analysis. It is that the next step requires pressure, counsel, and a conversation with someone outside the situation.

If you want to inquire about a Clarity Session, send a short note with the completed exercise and a few sentences about why this matters now.

Email Anthony Garone Print this page