The bias for action when certainty is out of reach

In an earlier post, “Re-considering the No,” I reflected on how easily we default to no, especially in moments that require change, risk, or vulnerability. That post was about the internal calculus we make when faced with the unknown, and how saying yes, even if it’s a tentative, nervous yes, can open doors to creativity, connection, and possibility.

But what happens after the yes? If “Re-considering the No” was about cracking the door open, today’s reflection is about what it takes to actually step through it. That next step requires cultivating something I’ve been hearing more and more in recent conversations: a bias for action. 

The hidden cost of overthinking

In my experience, we tend to reward intellectual rigor. We value planning, stakeholder input, and alignment, and rightfully so. But sometimes, those very strengths can often morph into stagnation. We get caught in analysis loops and hypothetical what-ifs. We seek consensus when what’s needed is the courage to make a move. We become so focused on getting it “right” that we end up not doing anything at all.

A bias for action counters that by asking: What if starting imperfectly is actually the most strategic move I can make?

And here’s the truth most of us know deep down: clarity tends to come from action, not the other way around. The project plan doesn’t reveal the sticking points but the first iteration does. The meeting doesn’t uncover misalignment, but the actual collaboration does.

Motion as a catalyst for learning

I may be stating the obvious: A bias for action doesn’t mean acting without thinking. It just means that we’re using motion as a mechanism for discovery. This can happen in many different ways. For example, you might spin up a prototype for something that’s not on the roadmap yet, ship an early version of a new feature and let usage data influence the next iteration, or put yourself on the hook for a webinar before you’ve done all the research needed. 

Do these actions carry risk? Of course. But they can also be the most effective way to uncover the next step.

As Amelia Earhart once said, “The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.”

This simple truth reminds us that the first move, however small, is often the hardest. But once momentum is on your side, everything changes.

Leading through action

As a leader, modeling a bias for action is one of the most powerful ways to build agility and resilience within your team. When your team sees you moving forward, and making adjustments when needed, they feel permission to do the same.

I’ve watched more than once how action can spawn energy. One draft inspires another, one customer outreach reveals a new opportunity, one slightly awkward team experiment can be the origin of a new practice or services offering. These moments don’t happen because the idea was perfect but because someone had the courage to move.

Leadership often requires creating conditions in which movement and action is encouraged and even expected, even if you don’t always have all of the answers. 

As a Cy Wakeman fan, I like to remind myself of this quote: “Stop arguing with reality, and start leading what’s next.” It reframes change from something to fear into something to harness.

Reconnecting to “Re-considering the No”

In “Re-considering the No,” I wrote about how saying no too soon can rob us of growth. But now I’ll add this: Saying yes and then not acting is just a slower version of the same problem.

We tell ourselves we’re on board, give a thumbs up in Slack, nod in meetings, or add to an idea. But if those ideas never get acted on, if the yes never becomes movement, then we’ve only postponed the no. A yes without action is like planting a seed and never watering it. A bias for action is what turns that yes into progress.

Don’t get me wrong. I need to listen to my own advice more frequently and ask myself “Is there something I’ve said yes to but haven’t moved on?” or “What’s a small step I can take immediately to build momentum?”.

When in doubt, move

Action is not about busyness or bravado, but about building momentum, no matter how big or small. It’s about trusting that movement and direction will teach you more than inaction or delay. So next time you find yourself nodding at a new idea, agreeing with a bold suggestion, or sensing that yes rising in your throat, commit to taking the next step, and then take it. 

What about you? How do you practice bias for action?