I avoid committing to a clear vision or direction because, once stated, it could turn out wrong. So I keep things open and reactive, and my team feels the absence — they are working hard with no sense of where any of it is going.

You might also say it as

How Aurelius might see it

One way to read this — take what fits, leave what doesn’t.

You're not staying open — you're hiding. The fear of being wrong has become a reason to never fully show up as the person your team needs you to be. Keeping things vague feels safe, but it costs everyone around you.

The short answer

Your team doesn't need a perfect vision. They need a direction they can hold onto. Pick one clear goal for the next 90 days, state it out loud, and make it yours — even knowing you might need to adjust it later. Committing is the job.

Your team is working hard in the dark. Research on virtual and in-person teams shows that trust forms early — and one of the biggest drivers of it is whether people believe their leader knows where things are going. When that signal is missing, people fill the gap with worry, second-guessing, and quiet frustration. That's what you're seeing. Here's the real problem: you've mixed up two different things — having a perfect plan, and having a clear direction. They aren't the same. Marcus Aurelius put it plainly: maintain your own purpose free from compulsion. He didn't say 'wait until it's certain.' He said own your resolution. A direction you might adjust later is still a real direction. Refusing to state one isn't humility — it's avoidance dressed up as flexibility. This week, write down one sentence: 'In the next 90 days, we are focused on ___.' Don't hedge it, don't add five caveats. Say it to your team in your next meeting. Then say, 'I'll update you when anything shifts.' That's it. You're not promising perfection — you're giving people something real to stand on.