That phrase hits hard because I've spent way too much time on projects that were all motion and no real substance. @the_troy really nailed it with that image of just whipping air. You get busy and feel productive, but you're not actually building or cleaning anything worthwhile. It's like running in place and wondering why you never get anywhere. I catch myself doing it when I over-plan instead of just doing the core task. The lather is what actually cleans, right? Everything else is just noise.