On Value and Clarity

We often mistake motion for progress. Value emerges when we slow down enough to decide what actually matters.

Take meetings, for example. A clear set of action items or even a shared direction for what comes next is crucial.

I have been in meetings that felt energizing in the moment, only for that excitement to fade soon after. I have also left meetings feeling exhausted. Over time, I have come to believe that both experiences are equally unhelpful when they end without clarity.

The direction we choose and the actions we agree on may need correction late and that is okay. The real value of a meeting is clarity. Nothing more, nothing less.

Clarity has another significant benefit, fewer meetings. Fewer meetings give us more time to do meaningful work well, instead of being trapped under the constant pressure of busyness. In the corporate world, everything is supposed to be business, not busyness.

Agreed that at times we feel like we live in a world that often rewards visibility. That visibility can easily translate into looking busy, being constantly responsive, and staying involved in everything while still leaving us with a lingering dissatisfaction about how our time is spent.

What if we chose fewer meetings, fewer decisions, and fewer priorities in a day, so we could focus on quality over quantity..

What if we accepted the uncomfortable truth that much of what feels urgent is not essential…

Clarity is hard because it often means disappointing expectations, both our own and others.

Maybe ambition itself needs reframing, from having a packed calendar to having a valuable workday. A day that ends with a clear sense of what we created and why it mattered.

That kind of day begins with one simple question: What am I busy with today that may not even matter tomorrow?