Newsletter #41. It's Not A Leadership Problem. It's A Clarity Problem - Copy
The 1% Leader Newsletter - Issue 41
When Your Confidence Feels Lower Than Your Calling
There is a confession senior leaders rarely make out loud.
Not that they are afraid.
But that their confidence no longer matches their calling.
The meetings still happen.
The work still gets done.
People still see you as strong.
But inside, something has shifted.
Decisions take longer.
Momentum feels thinner.
And pressure shows up in places where you used to feel clarity and conviction.
It is not incompetence.
It is not failure.
It is not even fear.
It is the gap between the clarity you once carried and the fog you are leading through now.
That is where Mike found himself.
Mike leads a faith based nonprofit serving families in crisis. He is trusted. Gifted. Experienced. But over the last year, the confidence that once energized his leadership had thinned out.
“Phil,” he said, “I know the outcomes I want. I just cannot seem to move us there with the conviction I used to have.”
When I looked closer, it was not a leadership problem.
It was a clarity problem.
1. When Vision Is Clear but Confidence Is Low
Senior leaders rarely lose confidence because they lack ability.
They lose confidence because they are carrying weight without clear direction.
Mike’s mission was solid.
His vision was inspiring.
His calling was strong.
But his next steps were not.
That gap quietly drains confidence.
It is not loud.
It is not dramatic.
It is simply disorienting.
Clarity creates conviction.
Confusion creates hesitation.
And hesitation feels like a confidence problem, even though it is not.
You do not need more motivation.
You need sharper clarity.
2. Most Drift Begins in the Heart Before It Shows Up in the Work
Here is what experienced leaders never admit publicly.
When clarity fades, pressure grows.
Not because the work becomes harder, but because your confidence no longer matches the responsibility you carry.
You feel it.
You feel the pull between calling and capacity.
You feel the weight of decisions that shape people, teams, and seasons.
So you grip tighter.
You push harder.
You turn meetings into momentum.
But God does not bless motion.
He blesses mission.
And mission requires clarity.
Scripture puts it simply:
God has given you a spirit of power, love, and a sound mind.
A clear mind.
A steady mind.
A mind anchored in calling, not pressure.
3. Real Confidence Returns When Clarity Is Reclaimed
When Mike slowed down long enough to revisit his calling and name what mattered most in this season, everything shifted.
Together, we clarified three things:
Purpose: Why his leadership mattered right now
Priority: What needed attention in the next 90 days
Path: The next clear step for his team
That was it.
Not a full strategic overhaul.
Not a reinvention.
Not a long process.
Confidence returned because clarity returned.
And clarity returned because he stopped long enough to see again.
You do not need to become a different leader.
You need to become a clearer one.
The leader you want to be is already in you.
You just need space to hear your calling again.
Leadership Takeaway
Clarity creates confidence.
Confusion creates pressure.
Hesitation is often the symptom, not the problem.
Reflection
Where have you been hesitating because something is unclear?
What decision would feel lighter if you had one degree more clarity?
Next Step
If you are ready to lead with clarity instead of pressure, schedule a Leader Insight Session.
It is a private 45 minute one on one designed to help you realign your purpose, see your next steps clearly, and lead this next season with confidence.
Go to philroutly.com/insight to learn more and reserve your spot.
On your side,
Phil
