“It is what it is.”
A phrase that feels simple—almost dismissive—but sometimes, it says more than we realize.
In many disciplines, especially mathematics and early programming, everything begins with definitions.
Before anything can be done, something must be named.
A point is defined. A set is introduced. A function is explained. Even a title must be decided before an article can begin.
Only then does the action unfold.
This pattern isn’t confined to textbooks. It echoes throughout life. In trying to start anything—whether it’s a project, a journey, a relationship, or even a shift in mindset—we often begin by asking: What is it, really?
The Weight of Defining
Definitions give structure. They set the boundaries of meaning. They help us avoid confusion—or so we hope.
But they also slow us down.
Sometimes, we spend so long trying to understand something before doing it that we get stuck in the first chapter. We try to define our purpose before we act. Define success before we risk. Define love before we open up. Define ourselves before we even live.
But what if things aren’t always meant to be perfectly defined before they’re experienced?
In Search of Solid Ground
It’s comforting to believe that with enough clarity, we’ll know what to do. That once we “figure it out,” the path will be obvious.
But clarity rarely comes first.
Often, it’s a byproduct of motion.
Like that Facebook mantra once said: “Move fast and break things.”
We move. We act. We make mistakes. And only then do things start to make sense—sometimes only in retrospect.
In that light, “it is what it is” becomes less of a shrug and more of a quiet wisdom. An invitation to let go of the need to define everything before stepping forward.
The Middle Path
So maybe the goal isn’t to abandon meaning or structure—but also not to wait forever for it.
There’s a middle path—a space between overthinking and impulsiveness. Between total abstraction and blind action. A place where we allow ourselves to begin, even if the beginning is a little messy, a little undefined.
Where we trust that understanding will catch up.
That the meaning will come.
That the act of doing will slowly shape the definition we were searching for.
The Vibe of Becoming
In programming, people sometimes joke about “code vibing”—just writing without knowing where it’s going, letting it flow. (Note: this isn’t an endorsement to code entirely with AI—at least not yet.)
But maybe that kind of spontaneity isn’t a joke. Maybe it’s how a lot of real things begin.
Maybe life is less about building from a manual, and more about improvising within a rhythm you don’t fully understand yet.
So here’s to the in-between moments.
Where definitions blur.
Where doing comes before knowing.
Where we begin, even when the path isn’t labeled.
It doesn’t have to make perfect sense.
It just has to move.