January 2026: Vision or Vice grip? When to choose clarity over certainty.

Create Clarity, Not Certainty

I'm planning a trip to Europe this spring with my mom and my kiddo. Three generations. Two cities—London and Paris, though the order isn't set yet. Neither is everything we'll do while we're there.

And I keep catching myself trying to plan it down to the moment. I want to control it all because I want it to be perfect. Or at least, I want to avoid the discomfort of not knowing exactly how it's going to unfold. (Ok, it's definitely the second one.)

That’s certainty, and that's not actually my job.

My job is to get aligned with them on a vision for our time, create some basic markers, and then hold my shit together while I watch it unfold. We need a few marquee moments—things we'll remember years from now. Enough structure that we can move through the days with some rhythm and ease. And then, space to breathe and explore. And patience. And maybe wine.

If I try to plan every hour, I'm going to make everyone miserable. My kid's eye rolls and refusal to leave the hotel will make that abundantly clear.

Talking about 2026 with the team earlier, it hit me: that's my role at work too. Set a vision. Some clear objectives. And then move—aligned, trusting, and agile.

Vision is clarity. It's the ability to see ahead—not perfectly, not around every corner, but clearly enough to move.

Clarity helps us prioritize every single day. It helps us spend our energy wisely, lean into work that's meaningful, say no to things that won't help us fulfill the vision. It lets me draw lines between my personal life and my business life so everything doesn't bleed together in ways that serve absolutely no one.

I know everything won't go as planned. What I do know is that I'm creating enough framing for us to move forward, commit, and participate—with enough elasticity to flow with whatever the year brings.

If I reach for certainty at this stage, I'll micromanage every step to force a path rather than realize an outcome. I'll squash creativity or ignore input that could help us get where we really need to go. Spoiler: that's a terrible plan.

We don't know exactly what's going to happen this year. We can't. But we're aligned on the direction. We're clear on a couple of core goals. That clarity gives us resilience to navigate whatever shows up—the unexpected opportunity, the pivot we didn't plan for, the moment when we need to say no so we can protect the yes that matters more.

When your team is clear on the vision and empowered to influence the path, everyone gets to play a role in realizing your goals. Resilience, creativity, and productivity flow more freely because the system is moving together with elasticity to flex as needed.

Not because you planned every step. Because you didn't.

That's what Jenny and I have. That's what I'm trying to create for my family on this trip. And that's what every leader owes their team.

Not a perfect plan. Just clarity on the destination. And the conviction that you'll figure the rest out together.