You Can’t Steer a Parked Car

Managers often wait for perfect clarity before making a move—but in reality, clarity is what emerges because you move.

Leadership isn’t about having a map; it’s about taking the first step on behalf of others. It’s about trusting your instincts, acting in service of the work, and being willing to adjust when new information comes in. It’s not recklessness—it’s responsiveness.

The Philosophy Behind the Quote

Recently, I stumbled across a quote that really spoke to me:

"Clarity doesn’t come before action, it comes from action.”

The idea that “clarity comes from action” is often attributed to Rumi—as with many pieces of wisdom from ancient poets, the exact phrasing may be modern. Still, the spirit is deeply aligned with his teachings: movement is the gateway to transformation. You don’t think your way into certainty. You live your way there.

In a world obsessed with vision decks and perfect strategies, this feels almost subversive. But it’s how real change happens—not from knowing exactly what’s next, but from choosing to begin anyway.

The Myth of “Top-Down” Clarity

There’s a false comfort in waiting: waiting for priorities, waiting for strategy decks, waiting for leadership to signal it’s safe to begin. But leadership isn’t about waiting. It’s about noticing the pause and filling it with purpose.

Leadership, especially in ambiguous environments, is often just that: going first. I see this most clearly when setting goals for my team. At the start of our fiscal year, the broader strategy wasn’t finalized. The executive priorities were still evolving. It would have been easy to wait.

But we didn’t.

I looked at what I knew—our mission, our capabilities, our proximity to the work—and used that to draft goals. Were they perfect? No. But they were good enough to align around. And they gave my team the clarity they needed to feel focused and steady.

We can always adjust—but you can’t steer a parked car.

Action Creates Meaning

When you move, others can see what’s possible. They can challenge it, shape it, sharpen it. But none of that happens if you don’t start.

Clarity isn’t a gift handed down from the top. It’s something you help create—by stepping in, showing up, and moving first.

If you want to lead, don’t wait for the roadmap. Begin.