It’s Travel Tuesday on wiredPRworks, and this story might sound familiar to anyone who navigates transportation routes, leadership paths, or marketing/PR/sales teams.
As someone who knows my way around Chicago and the CTA, or so I thought, I had the perfect plan. My husband told me exactly which bus to take, the 66, from the northwest corner of Chicago and Michigan. I walked over, saw a 66 bus, got on, and assumed I was heading the right way.
At first, the ride was actually pleasant. Chicago has scenic a way of making even an ordinary CTA bus ride feel interesting. But then we got to Navy Pier, everyone got off, and I stayed on. As we cruised over the Chicago River, the bus driver turned around and almost shouted at me, “I didn’t see you there! What are you still doing on the bus? You were supposed to get off at Navy Pier!”
That was the moment I realized I hadn’t just missed a stop. I’d gone off in the wrong direction.
When I asked about the next stop, the driver told me the bus was heading to the expressway and out of service. Oops! My conference was about to start, and I didn’t want to go for a ride on the Kennedy. When she offered to drop me off on Lower Wacker Drive, I reluctantly said OK.
If you know Chicago, you know Lower Wacker is not exactly where you want to end up when you’re already running behind. It can be dark, confusing, and a little disorienting. The kind of place that makes you stop and rethink your choices and wonder if you have any options.
So I stood there for a minute, phone in hand, trying to figure out what to do next.
Another bus pulled up and offered me a ride to Ogilvie Transportation Center, which was kind, but still not where I needed to be.
I checked Uber and Lyft. The price for such a short ride was more than I wanted to pay. I considered walking, but I knew I would be late and probably more frustrated by the time I arrived.
Then I paused. Lucky for me, I was near a set of stairs. I went up the stairs.
And there it was.
The Chicago River. Tribune Tower. A sightseeing boat moving across the way. A view I know well, but don’t get to enjoy very often. It was also the exact spot where I’d once done a photo shoot for Crain’s Chicago Business when they were featuring small business owners.
I wasn’t supposed to be there. And yet, here I was.
That moment gave me more than a beautiful photo. It gave me perspective.
I remembered the Curb app, booked a taxi, and found my driver waiting just where I needed him. He was calm, kind, and exactly the kind of presence you want when your morning has started to spin a little out of control. He got me to my conference, and I walked in just in time.
What stayed with me was not the mistake itself. It was the reminder.
Moving fast is not the same as moving in the right direction.
That lesson applies to travel, but it also applies to business, visibility, and leadership.
It’s easy to trust momentum. It’s easy to assume that if you’re in motion, you’re making progress. But speed without direction can send you a long way from where you actually need to be.
For leaders, that means pausing long enough to double and triple and quadruple check the route before committing to it.
For marketers and PR professionals, it means making sure the message is aligned with your angle and direction before sending it out.
For thought leaders, it means not confusing activity with influence.
For meeting planners and business professionals, it means knowing where you are trying to land before you start moving people, and your event, in the wrong direction.
Chicago gave me a good visual reminder of that.
When you’re standing near Michigan and Wacker, the city is always moving. Buses, taxis, people, boats, traffic, all of it going somewhere. Not to mention a bridge going up and down. But not every direction is the right one for you. That’s why you need to stop, look around, and make sure you’re headed where you want to go.
That’s true in a city. It’s true in business. It’s more than helpful on a trail. And it’s true in life.
Sometimes the biggest mistake is not getting lost. It’s moving so fast that you forget to check where you are going. Have you been lost before? How did you find your way?
FAQ
What does moving too fast teach us about strategy?
It teaches us that strategy isn’t just about action. It’s also about direction. If you move quickly without checking the route, you can end up far from your real goal or destination.
What does this story say about visibility?
It shows that visibility isn’t just about being seen. It’s about being seen clearly and intentionally. In business, that means aligning your message, timing, and presence before you move.
Why does this story matter for leaders?
Because leaders make decisions under pressure all the time. This story is a reminder that strong leadership includes the ability to pause, reassess, and correct course before things go too far off track.
Why include Chicago in the story?
Chicago gives the story a vivid, recognizable backdrop. The city’s movement, energy, and landmarks like Navy Pier, Lower Wacker Drive, Tribune Tower, and the Chicago River make the lesson feel grounded and real.
What is the main takeaway?
Don’t confuse motion with progress. Check your direction before you commit to the ride.
About Barbara Rozgonyi
Barbara Rozgonyi, CEO of CoryWest Media, is a Fractional CMO, top PR blogger, Keynote Speaker to Watch, communications strategist, writer, and visibility-focused storyteller who helps professionals and organizations think more clearly about messaging, leadership, and presence. Through her work and writing, she turns real-life moments into lessons about strategy, visibility, and the way people and brands show up in the world.
This post is 100% my story with AI editing.
