Field Note #6: Move with Intention

"Action expresses priorities."— Mahatma Gandhi

One of the lessons that has followed me throughout my career came from a simple piece of advice I received years ago: move with purpose. At the time, the phrase resonated because it emphasized discipline, decisiveness, and commitment. It suggested that every action should be connected to a larger objective and that effective leaders understand where they are going before they begin moving.

I still appreciate that advice, but over time I have found myself gravitating toward a slightly different phrase.

Move with intention.

The distinction may seem subtle, but I believe it matters.

Purpose often implies certainty. It suggests a clearly defined destination and a direct path toward it. Intention acknowledges something that leaders eventually learn through experience: the destination may remain clear while the route continues changing. Circumstances evolve. Information emerges. Conditions shift. The future rarely unfolds exactly as anticipated.

Intention allows movement without requiring certainty.

This realization has become increasingly relevant as I navigate the competing demands of leadership, camp operations, community involvement, and organizational priorities. There is always another decision waiting to be made. Another challenge requiring attention. Another opportunity deserving consideration. If I waited until every variable was known before taking action, very little would ever happen.

Yet action without reflection can be just as problematic as hesitation.

The challenge is finding the balance between thoughtful consideration and decisive movement.

This is one reason I continue returning to the work of military strategist John Boyd. Boyd's OODA Loop—Observe, Orient, Decide, Act—remains one of the most practical frameworks I have encountered because it acknowledges that decision-making is not a linear process. It is a cycle. Leaders observe changing conditions, orient themselves to new information, make decisions based on their best understanding, take action, and then begin the process again.

The model does not assume perfect information.

It assumes continuous adaptation.

What makes Boyd's framework so powerful is its recognition that action itself generates information. We often believe understanding must precede movement, but many of life's most important lessons emerge only after we begin. The terrain becomes clearer once we start walking. Relationships deepen through engagement rather than analysis. Leadership capacity develops through responsibility rather than observation.

Movement creates visibility.

Action reveals information that contemplation alone cannot provide.

I see this principle repeatedly in young leaders. Many hesitate before accepting responsibility because they fear they are not fully prepared. They want additional training, more experience, greater confidence, or absolute certainty that they will succeed. Those desires are understandable. Yet confidence rarely arrives before action. More often, confidence emerges because of action.

A young counselor gains confidence by leading a group, not by imagining what leadership might feel like. A new volunteer develops confidence by stepping forward to serve, not by waiting until every uncertainty disappears. A leader grows by making decisions, learning from outcomes, and adapting accordingly.

The same principle applies to organizations.

Many organizations become trapped in perpetual planning. Meetings generate additional meetings. Discussions lead to further analysis. Strategic conversations continue indefinitely because participants fear making the wrong decision. While thoughtful planning is essential, there eventually comes a moment when progress requires movement.

Eisenhower understood this paradox when he observed that plans are often useless, but planning is indispensable. The value of planning is not that it predicts the future perfectly. The value lies in preparing leaders to adapt when reality inevitably diverges from expectations.

At some point, preparation must give way to action.

Not reckless action.

Not impulsive action.

Intentional action.

Intentional action begins with clarity about priorities rather than certainty about outcomes. It asks different questions. What matters most right now? What information do I have available? What decision best aligns with the mission, values, and responsibilities entrusted to me? What small step can move the situation forward?

These questions recognize that leadership rarely involves choosing between perfect and imperfect options. More often, leaders choose between several incomplete options while operating under time constraints and uncertainty. The objective is not perfection. The objective is progress.

This perspective has become especially valuable during periods of operational intensity. Camp season, like many leadership environments, rewards those who can make thoughtful decisions without becoming paralyzed by uncertainty. Conditions change quickly. Staffing realities evolve. Weather impacts plans. Transportation schedules shift. New challenges emerge without warning. Leaders cannot afford to wait indefinitely for perfect clarity.

They must move.

Not blindly.

Not recklessly.

But intentionally.

There is wisdom in understanding that every decision is provisional. New information may require adjustments tomorrow. What appeared to be the best course of action today may need refinement next week. Effective leaders do not view this as failure. They view it as adaptation. They understand that flexibility is not a sign of weak leadership but evidence of responsiveness to reality.

Perhaps this is why I continue returning to a quote from Annie Dillard: "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives."

The statement serves as a reminder that leadership is rarely defined by a single monumental decision. Instead, it is shaped by countless small choices made consistently over time. The conversations we prioritize. The people we invest in. The responsibilities we accept. The actions we take when circumstances remain uncertain.

Those seemingly ordinary decisions accumulate.

They become habits.

Those habits become character.

And character ultimately shapes the trajectory of both individuals and organizations.

As I reflect on the lessons emerging from this season, I find myself returning once again to the importance of intentional movement. The future will always contain uncertainty. New challenges will continue appearing. Conditions will continue evolving. Complete clarity will remain elusive.

Yet leadership does not require certainty.

It requires awareness.

It requires judgment.

It requires adaptability.

And perhaps most importantly, it requires the willingness to move forward before every answer has revealed itself.

The goal is not to predict the future perfectly.

The goal is to engage it thoughtfully.

To observe carefully.

To decide deliberately.

To act courageously.

And when conditions change—as they inevitably will—to learn, adapt, and continue moving forward.

With purpose when possible.

With flexibility when necessary.

But always with intention.