Uncertainty is a choice. 5 antidotes to overcome it in your career.

I talk to accomplished professionals every day under the warm blanket of confidentiality. They’re insanely Smart. Accomplished. Recognized.

They open up and tell me their dreams and what matters most. How they want to make a bigger impact and influence positive change.

When I listen deeply for the words they often don’t say…

Uncertainty lurks under the surface.

Uncertainty of what to do next. Of whether they are good enough. Or how to be truly fulfilled at work and whether this is even possible.

And for those who do know what they want and where they want to go, there’s uncertainty on how to get there.

We live in a world today where uncertainty has become the norm. As of this posting, there are nearly 100,000 deaths from coronavirus in the US. For those who have lost jobs, there’s uncertainty on how they’ll find security. And for those who still have jobs, there’s uncertainty how long they’ll last.

Personally and professionally, the feelings are visceral and real.

There’s a cost to living in a state of uncertainty. It pushes you into the quicksand of despair. It chokes your growth. It impacts your health and well-being.

It leads to a sense of regret for what could have been.

Sometimes we justify. In the grand scope, things are good enough. “Some don’t have a job. I do. I need to count my blessings.” “I just need to get through this month, this year, this decade”

We find ourselves surviving, not thriving.

But that feeling of uncertainty never goes away.

So what do we do?

For me, this has been a primary reflection of late. Being cooped up in quarantine for the past 64 days (and counting) is rough but it has provided time to think about my incredible clients. And what they struggle with most.

Uncertainty tops the list.

Feeling uncertain is normal. We’re human. But living in uncertainty is a choice.

You may not be able to control what the outer world throws at you, but you can learn the skills to control your inner world.

And so, in this post, I’m sharing my top five antidotes to uncertainty.

Here they are. The short list of things that have helped my clients overcome the grip of uncertainty in their career…

1. Create a clear vision of what success looks like. 

It never ceases to amaze me how easily people can rattle off what they don’t like or don’t want but when asked the question, “what does success look like?” they’re silent.

This truly is the #1 problem when it comes to uncertainty. Your brain needs a precise vision, a program, of what to move toward. Without this, there will be a gap between “better” and “as is”. And this gap breeds uncertainty.

Think of it this way…if you live in Seattle and want to get out of the rainy gloom, you first need to choose a destination. Just saying, “it’s gray here and I hate it,” will do nothing. Decide where you’ll road trip. Pick the destination and start immersing yourself in what it would be like to be there or live there.

More clarity = less uncertainty. 

As the great Stephen R. Covey said, “You must begin with the end in mind.”

2. Supersize the skills to outgrow doubt.

Many have legacy operating systems, aka “limiting beliefs,” running our subconscious. They are the root of our uncertainty, our doubt, our behavior, our emotional triggers, our growth – or lack thereof.

This is not fake news. You can learn the skill to reprogram beliefs.

It's a much deeper topic, but for now, you can start by reflecting on the message you internalized about yourself somewhere between the ages of 4-13. The most common one is “not good enough” but there are plenty of others.

During this time period, whatever message you believed about yourself got uploaded into your subconscious “operating system”.

Unfortunately, it never got updated. Which means that as an adult, you are still operating based on the legacy program of a, oh 7-year-old. No wonder uncertainty plagues us!

The key to transformation is updating your subconscious software. What is true about you now? What assumptions would you correct that your 7-year-old made? Create a new power phrase, a truth statement, that will replace “not good enough.”

3.   Notice (and swap) your patterns of self-talk. 

When I learned the mind-blowing concept that thoughts and emotions are simply patterns thinking or feelings and that they do not define you, it was a game changer.

Here’s a challenge: For three days, write down the diminishing phrases your brain has on repeat.

If you find yourself thinking “you can’t do this,” “what were you thinking,” “you aren’t skilled enough,” “you’re nothing next to so-and-so”…know this:

Perpetual worry, uncertainty, doubt, guilt, and even stress are simply patterns of thought or emotion.

Thoughts and emotions, just like behaviors or habits, can become patterns. And the brain loves to automate patterns. Why?

Because it consumes less energy.

The skills here are to...

a) notice what you’re saying,

b) be discerning about whether that language is helping or hindering, and

c) make a new statement or mantra to replace the unhelpful patterns.

My emotions used to completely hijack me. For a period of almost three years, I was merged with doubt and uncertainty. I never knew that I had a choice in this matter, much less could change it.

Realizing that doubt, for example, was just a thought pattern, not a way of being, was absolutely freeing. It released me from an inner prison. It can do the same for you.

Invite grace. Allow yourself to be a beginner.

4.   Quit comparing.

Comparison is to certainty like kryptonite is to Superman. Utterly draining. Comparing yourself to others creates stress, uncertainty (am I doing it right?) and momentary amnesia. Amnesia of what is unique, great, awesome about you.

Comparison diminishes your greatness, erodes your self-esteem and feeds uncertainty.

Social media has not made this any easier for us. If you catch yourself in the comparison rat race, recognize that it is rooted in a limiting belief (see #2) and make a choice to opt out.

What if Superman wanted to be just like Spiderman? Thankfully for humankind, he did not.

Comparison does not serve us. 

Poet Oscar Wilde brilliantly said, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.”

Pop culture says: You be you. 

5.   Create, leverage, borrow or find a plan.

Some people are crystal clear on where they’re going. And they have a rock-solid mental state. But what paralyzes them is not knowing what to do.

Thank God for GPS. We plug in the address of the destination and that powerful app gives us the step-by-step directions to get there. What did we do before Google Maps??

The problem for some is that they don’t have a superpower in creating plans. Their brain isn’t innately wired to connect the dots.

But guess what…that’s okay. You don’t have to be an expert to take action.

Taking back your power, taking action, can overcome uncertainty.

There’s a prerequisite here:

You must embrace the question, “What can I do?”

And if you find yourself falling back into the victimhood of uncertainty, get out.

Tap into your resources…peers, mentors, plans or approaches you’ve used for other areas of life, and of course, the world wide web.

Everything needs a plan, a system, to be successful. Your career growth is no different.

If you find yourself stuck here, ask someone. Find a book with great instruction. Sign up for an online program. Be okay knowing that building a plan isn’t your thing, but don’t give up.

There are others who have a superpower in this area. Seek them out. Invest in yourself.

Think about your dominate hand. Writing with your dominant hand is a no-brainer. If you had to write with your non-dominant had, it would be clunky and awkward in the beginning. But you could still do it.

Start somewhere and adopt a “test and learn” approach.

If you worry about doing the “right” thing, hear this:

It doesn’t matter what the exact action is. Once you have a plan, just move and take steps in the direction of what you want.

As you learn, uncertainty will wither. And the confidence will come.

I like to think of coaching as helping people super-size their confidence and abilities. Overcoming uncertainty is a part of that journey and a skill that can be learned. If even one of these gems clicked for you, you have a responsibility to yourself.

Remember that feeling uncertain is human.

But living in uncertainty as a state-of-being is a choice.

You’ve heard the adage that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The #1 secret to career success and fulfillment isn't fame, money, or freedom. It’s progress.

If you are progressing with intentional steps toward your professional goals and vision, certainty and success will come.

Julie Schaller is a professional career growth coach and co-founder of Empower Coaching. Her mission is to inspire and empower professionals to realize their potential, elevate leadership, and create meaningful impact in a deeply fulfilling careers. Julie helps her clients clarify their ideal role, position themselves for success and follow a proven career-growth system. You can find out more by contacting Julie directly at [email protected] or scheduling a time to learn more HERE.