When everything changes, presence is your steady ground.

Ambiguity is the hidden cost of progress. Early in our careers, someone hands us the playbook and checks our work. The farther we go and the more we lead, the fewer instructions and easy answers we're given. When our role changes or the strategy shifts, or when we're handed a new team or the path disappears entirely, ambiguity becomes a constant.

It's tempting to try to outrun the uncertainty. Many of us replay old mistakes or imagine every possible risk. Regret can pull us into the past. Fear can pull us into the future. We wait for clarity, but the longer we wait, the more stuck or overwhelmed we may feel. The expectation, spoken or not, is that as experienced professionals, we'll fill in the blanks ourselves. No one tells you how lonely or daunting that can be.

The one move available to us is to get present. Instead of spiraling in the unknowns, find the ground beneath your feet. Ask, "What do I know right now?" "What is one thing I can learn or clarify today?" "What single step can I take?" You do not need the whole path, just the next move. In my experience, that's where progress begins. Each small step forward, however tentative, builds momentum and brings a little more of the map into view.

The last time you were thrown into ambiguity what helped you find your footing? What was the one step that made the difference?

If this resonates, please share with others on your team or in your network. Someone is standing at the edge of ambiguity right now.