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Are You Comfortable with Uncertainty?



How does uncertainty make you feel?


Comfortable? Uncomfortable? Somewhere in between?

Like me, you probably have work and personal goals for the long term.


We're told that these types of goals should be defined and clear. Achievable and realistic. Connected to core values. They will give us focus and energy. They will drive us forwards. Mine are all of these things and I am absolutely determined to meet them. Despite this, sometimes, momentarily, I feel scared and overwhelmed about what I’m doing.


The feeling is as intense as it is fleeting. Maybe it’s the same for you? I’m told it’s pretty normal when you’re chasing and pushing to achieve.


For me, it goes something like this: Is this going to work? Can I do this? Am I being ridiculous? Will the clients build? Will I get there? Just as fleetingly as my anxieties arrive, they go away. The fear dissipates and I get back to my day. Powering on through the planned actions. I’m back to being confident and certain about driving Projects that Deliver forwards. It was with this in mind, I found myself hooked reading an article. One line stood out to me: 'Not only are our long-term goals psychologically taxing to think about, but they’re also scary.' Sounds about right to me! Getting comfortable with uncertainty The author, Jory MacKay, comments: 'Being comfortable with feeling uncomfortable is the secret to hitting your long-term goals. But it’s not easy. ' He adds that to keep working towards your goal, you need to recognise that you won’t have all the answers up front and that your first effort probably won’t be great. Good advice - right? Not knowing the outcome means you’re not tied to a specific outcome. And that makes uncertainly exciting.

How am I going to minimise my scary moments?

I’m taking Jory’s advice. The uncertainty that occasionally bothers me will be reframed as excitement. That makes total sense to me. In reality, there’s nothing to be scared of and lots to be excited about. Particularly for Projects that Deliver!

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, a bit of guidance can certainly help. Knowing your processes are solid and you're working at your best gives you the confidence to power through. We can help - get in touch!


Book in an initial session or call us on 020 3286 2866. No pressure - a chat can help us find out if we're a good fit!

Not ready to take a next step – maybe our complexity quiz will help you?

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