As entrepreneurs, we often pride ourselves on being busy—running from task to task, crossing off to-do lists, and pushing forward with all our might. But here’s the thing: being busy isn’t the same as being effective. In fact, if your energy isn’t directed at the right target, you could be working against your own goals.
Let’s borrow an example from a completely different world—law enforcement.
One of the long-standing goals of law enforcement agencies is to reduce illegal drug use. Sounds straightforward, right? But instead of targeting drug users (the demand side), many agencies focus their efforts on arresting drug dealers (the supply side). The idea is that by cutting off the supply, the demand will naturally shrink.
However, this well-intentioned strategy has produced the opposite effect.
When law enforcement ramps up efforts to catch and prosecute drug dealers, it creates risk in the marketplace. And what happens when there’s more risk? Prices go up. Higher prices make the drug trade more profitable, which in turn attracts more sophisticated and well-funded criminal organizations that are better at evading law enforcement. The net result? More competition, more violence, and—ironically—greater availability of drugs. It’s a classic case of targeting the wrong side of the equation.
If you’re an entrepreneur, this analogy should hit home.
Ask yourself: Am I targeting the real problem or just the most obvious one?
Let’s say your sales are down. It might seem like a good idea to launch a new marketing campaign or run a discount promotion. But what if the root problem is that your product doesn’t solve a strong enough pain point for your customers? Or maybe your onboarding process is confusing, causing people to bail before making a purchase. If you’re focused on getting more people through the funnel without fixing the leak in the funnel itself, you’re misdirecting your effort.
This kind of misalignment happens all the time in small businesses. We throw time, money, and talent at surface-level symptoms instead of digging into the deeper causes. Why? Because it’s easier. It feels productive. And sometimes, it’s what everyone else is doing.
But what if, like in the drug enforcement example, your current efforts are inadvertently making the problem worse?
A better strategy is to take a step back and examine your assumptions. Are you solving the right problem? Are you attacking the issue at the root, or are you just trimming the branches?
The next time you’re tempted to double down on a tactic that isn’t working, pause and ask: What is the outcome I really want? And is this action truly moving me closer to that goal—or just keeping me busy?
Further Reading: If you’re interested in understanding more about the unintended consequences of public policies, check out our Ripple Effect series.
So, Are Your Efforts Focused on the Right Targets?
