Who Sees Reality Most Clearly?

One of the questions I come back to again and again—especially in a time when so many conversations are fueled by fear or filtered through identity—is this:

Who actually sees reality clearly?

Not who’s the smartest.
Not who’s the loudest.
Not who agrees with us.

But who can hold complexity without collapsing into black-and-white thinking?

Who is emotionally regulated enough to respond, rather than react?

Who can stay rooted in truth even when it’s inconvenient?

It’s a question of clarity—and I’d argue it’s one of the most important leadership traits of our time.

➡️ What clarity actually means:

When I say “clarity,” I don’t mean certainty. I don’t mean polished talking points.

I mean the ability to see what is—without ego, trauma, or tribalism distorting the lens.

And that ability is deeply tied to nervous system regulation.

When we’re in a state of calm, connected presence, our perception opens.

We can hold paradox.

We can admit we don’t know while still remaining sturdy and confident.
We can shift when reality asks us to.

But when we’re dysregulated—stuck in fight, flight, fawn, or freeze—our minds grab for control.

We cling to certainty.
We make enemies.
We default to the same old scripts.

So when I assess public figures, I’m not just asking “What are they saying?”

I’m asking:

• Are they grounded?

• Are they open to opposing views?

• Are they trapped in performance, tribalism, or identity defense?

• Have they done deep, introspective work—or been on any kind of healing journey?

➡️ The leaders I see as most clear:

As someone who’s been on a deep healing journey and studied cognitive distortions at length, there’s one individual who rises to the top:

Pete Buttigieg.

He’s the clearest embodiment I’ve seen of someone who stays anchored in facts, integrity, and calm communication—even when interrupted, misquoted, or criticized.

He’s not perfect (none of us are), but he consistently scores high in every area that matters to me:

• emotional regulation,

• intellectual precision,

• and an ability to seek win-win solutions rather than scoring points.

Other names I’d place in a similar tier of clarity (in different ways) include:

• Barack Obama (especially post-presidency)

• Ezra Klein

• Creators like Joshua Doss of @doss.discourse and Slade Wentworth of @thedadbriefs (there are MANY I could name here)

These people tend to see the whole - not just what serves their “side.”

➡️ Patterns I’m noticing:

• The left tends to lose clarity by trying not to offend.

• The right tends to lose clarity by trying to dominate or “win.”
  

  Both are missing integration.

The clearest voices—on either side—are the ones who’ve done their inner work.

They’re less reactive.

More rooted.

Less interested in being right.

More interested in being real and seeking solutions.

➡️ Why this matters for all of us:

This isn’t just about politics.

It’s about presence. And our personal power lies in the ability to be present.

If we want to shift culture, we can’t just fact-battle our way forward.

We need to become more clear within.

That means nervous system regulation.

That means shedding identity filters.

That means being willing to see what’s true—even when it’s hard.

As more of us do this work, I believe our leadership will rise in quality.

And not just the kind we vote for—but the kind we embody.

Written by Dr. Jen Johannsen (co-written with the help of ChatGPT, my favorite thought-partner when I’m exploring big questions about clarity, leadership, and perception.)