Approach uncertainty with œdispassionate curiosity, not impulse.

When life throws you uncertainty, making you wonder, "What now?" don't panic. Instead, see it as a chance to create, think, and set new priorities. These moments might feel scary, leaving you confused and down, but don't rush into decisions. Take a breather and think.

Approach these times with calm curiosity, not fear. To handle uncertainty and make better choices, focus on learning instead of just knowing. That shift can help you navigate through the unknown smoothly. So, next time you face uncertainty, remember to stay cool, think, and learn. When you're unsure of what to do next, here's what you can do:

• Take a Break: Hey, if you're feeling super angry or stressed about something, like maybe you think you're gonna lose your job, just stop for a sec. Take a breather, acknowledge those feelings, and wait until you're chill enough to deal with the situation."
• Question: Create a 'curiosity loop' by asking yourself questions that help you think about the situation. This helps you learn.
• Search: If you hit a dead end, find a new path. If you find a solution, go for it. But if you find bigger problems, keep exploring. Maybe take a new job with a trial period to test the waters. Keep moving forward.

Build œactive resilience, and prepare for adversity.

Resilience researcher Michael Ungar says resilience in uncertain times means having the ability to find what you need to stay okay, like support from friends, family, and your community. It's about both finding these things and speaking up to make sure you get them in ways that make sense for you.

Evaluate your resilience by looking at ten different areas of your life: friends and family, community, environment, recreation and fun, health and fitness, career and work, finance, spirituality, learning and growth, and love and partnerships. Rate your resilience level on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the least resilient and 10 being the most resilient. Do this for both big, life-changing events and smaller, everyday disruptions. This exercise helps you see where you might struggle with change and where you're strongest. Understanding these "perceived vulnerabilities" can help you stay calm when things get uncertain and show you what resources you need to handle tough times.

Navigate life transitions with flexibility and liminality.

Start-ups in Silicon Valley made "pivoting" popular. Pivoting means quickly changing direction when faced with a challenge. But when you're dealing with moments of uncertainty that aren't about finding the right product for the market, pivoting might not be the best move. Think of life as climbing a mountain. Picture yourself pausing on your journey, setting up camp, and carefully considering your next move. When you're unsure about how to reach your goals, it's like being at a crossroads on that mountain. Instead of rushing into a new direction, it's smarter to take a breather, think, and stay curious. Sometimes, you need to practice what I call "active waiting" “ understanding that reaching your goals might take longer than you expected. It's about accepting that things might unfold differently but staying determined.

Life's Crossroads

According to psychology professor Kenneth Hill, feeling lost involves two main things: not knowing where you are and not having a plan to find your way. While Hill studied literal cases like lost hikers, his ideas can apply to any uncertain situation in your life. Just like climbers plan their routes at base camp, you can create your own "transitional learning space." This could be a place where you brainstorm ideas, jot down thoughts in a journal, or map out your options on a whiteboard. When you're in between phases and exploring new possibilities, you're in what's called "liminal space" “ a kind of in-between zone. To make the most of these uncertain times, you might find it helpful to document your journey with photos, videos, or drawings. This can help you remember who you are now as you adopt new opportunities.

Enhance self-awareness for better œself-world fit.

Organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich believes self-awareness is super important in the 21st century. She defines it as "the ability to see ourselves clearly “ to understand who we are, how others see us, and how we fit into the world around us." So, as you navigate through uncertain times, it's crucial to take some time to understand yourself by "zooming in."

Think about how you see the world around you and how it affects what you do. Consider the rules and customs that influence your behavior. Combining these thoughts with your understanding of who you are can help you figure out how well you fit in with your surroundings. Are you feeling like your workplace is filled with negativity and doesn't match your values? Or do you feel like you belong there? Your answers can help you figure out what steps to take next. Getting to know yourself is something you do on your own, and there's no one right way to do it. But you might find it helpful to make a map of your skills, what you do every day, what influences you, what impact you want to have, what resources you have, and any obstacles in your way.

Chart my career path.

When you're in a time of uncertainty and trying to figure things out, you're doing what's called "wayfinding." If you're aiming for a career in the military or government, you're doing this with some help, since these places still stick to old-school methods from the 20th century. They have clear steps for moving up the ladder, and you can look at what people before you did to help plan your own path. In contrast, many jobs today don't follow a clear path. If you're part of the gig economy, you can't just copy someone else's journey to figure out your next move. You've got to do what's called "unaided wayfinding." That means you've got two choices: "directed wayfinding," where you're aiming for a specific goal, or "undirected wayfinding," where you're more like an explorer, checking out new things without a set destination in mind.

Find Your Path Forward

When you're figuring out what to do next, think about what you really want. Take a look at where you are now and how you got here. What do you hope for in the future? 

When you're trying to figure things out on your own, it helps to see all your options laid out in front of you. Use something like an online whiteboard or sticky notes to jot down all your ideas without sorting them. This helps you see the big picture without getting stuck on what you think you should do. Move your ideas around until you find a path that feels right for you.

Allow time for exploring and experimenting.

As you think about what to do next, try out different things to see what works best for you. If you find that just wandering around without a plan isn't your style, that's okay. You might prefer having a clearer idea of what to do. Instead of trying to figure everything out on your own, consider working with others. Like how people learn to build houses by actually building them, you can learn by doing things with others. This is called participatory action research. Don't rush to find quick solutions. Take your time to explore your ideas by taking action together with others.

To dive into something new, you can plan out experiments using a tool called the "Experiment Design Canvas." Start by jotting down what you already know about the issue you're facing. Then, spell out what you want to find out and outline the steps to get there, deciding how long each step will take. Before you get started, figure out how you'll track your progress and hold yourself accountable. Will you record your thoughts verbally or write them down? Also, think about ways to get different viewpoints. For example, if you're working on team trust, you might ask someone to watch your group and give feedback.

Match values, needs, and desires; act.

After trying out different ideas, it's time to figure out what's next. First, take a step back and think about what you've learned. What got you pumped up, or maybe left you feeling frustrated or worried? Second, use your judgment to shift from brainstorming to making a plan. Think about how your priorities might have shifted based on what you've found out. Do you know enough now to make a smart decision about where to go next in your life or career? Third, decide: Figure out what you want and what's most important to you. It could be freedom, happiness, or something else. Think about what will make you feel the best. Then, you can either make a clear plan or take your time to think things through before making a choice.

Fourth, double-check: Make sure you have a way to tell if the choice you made is the right one for you. Maybe you'll judge by the results you get, and if things aren't working out within a certain timeframe, you can change course. This helps you stay on track and make sure you're heading in the direction you want.

Summon courage, humility, and passion in uncertainty.

Your journey of finding your way is about connecting with what truly matters to you. It's important to control your strong emotions so they don't mess with your decisions. Sometimes, letting your passions run wild can lead to big trouble. But once you've thought things through calmly, your passions can be like fuel, keeping you driven and determined. To keep yourself motivated and avoid getting stuck, think about the scale at which you want to make a difference. Do you want to help out on a local level, like helping individuals? Or perhaps you dream of impacting the world and its cultures on a global scale. Figure out where your heart truly lies, and then go after it with all your energy.

"Remember, there will always be moments when you're unsure about what to do next. It's just a part of life. Things are always changing, especially with new technologies like AI and quantum computing. So, get used to not always knowing what's coming and adopt it. Instead of getting scared, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. You might even become someone others look up to for guidance in uncertain times. Stay curious and keep learning.