Last week, I took my daughter to the park to continue learning how to ride a bicycle.

Before heading out, I removed the training wheels and then decided to take off the pedals so she could first learn to walk with the bike before moving on to pedaling.

After using a monkey wrench, I easily removed the right pedal. But the left pedal wouldn’t budge.

I hesitated—was I turning it the right way? Clockwise or counterclockwise? I wasn’t sure.

I twisted in both directions, only making things worse. The pedal got completely jammed. Frustrated, I gave up and loaded the bike into the car, heading to the park with the pedal still stuck.

When we arrived, I spotted one of the bicycle coaches and explained the problem. He immediately pointed out a key detail:

👉 The left pedal unscrews clockwise, not counterclockwise.

Then, he showed me tiny stickers beneath the pedals, indicating the correct way to remove them.

Armed with this precise knowledge, I focused my effort, turned the wrench with confidence, and—within seconds—the pedal came off easily.

The Lesson?

Uncertainty paralyzes action.

Because I wasn’t sure which way to turn the wrench, I hesitated. I lacked the confidence to fully commit, and my trial-and-error approach only made things worse.

But the moment I had clarity, everything changed. I focused, applied force in the right direction, and the problem was solved.

This isn’t just about bicycle pedals. It’s about decision-making in life and work:

• When we lack clear direction, we hesitate, second-guess, and make avoidable mistakes.

• When we have the right knowledge, we act with confidence and precision.

So, let me ask you, where in your work or life do you feel stuck due to uncertainty? And what would change if you had the right knowledge?

Would love to hear your thoughts.

Philippos