Navigating uncertainty is difficulty and a skill we need to work to develop. In this episode, I talk with Sam Jones about how we can continue to grow, even when things are uncertain.
“You don’t have to change the world – change your world,” Sam Jones said.
Today you’re going to hear from Life Coach, Sam Jones. Sam has worked with more than 300 clients (from everyday professionals to celebrities). Sam helps people facing challenges of having no direction in life, comparisons and not organizing their lives for happiness.
This episode is the perfect one to start the year out with real tools on navigating uncertainty.
How to Navigate Uncertainty
“Uncertainty has a really funny effect on people,” Sam pointed out saying, “Not just people I work with, but businesses and organizations. Uncertainty just challenges individuals.”
Sam says navigating uncertainty impacts people differently. For some, they may feel anger. Others may feel fear. Some feel like the world is against them, others rise up.
He says it’s important not to disregard any emotional response, but instead to use them to your benefit.
There is no magic brush to make uncertainty go away. Sam points out that people have had to make very hard decisions involving money and livelihood as they navigate uncertainty.
However, he also points out that people have made really great decisions during the uncertainty storm. He shares one of his favorite quotes, “War time creates the best general.”
When You Feel Scared in Your Attempt to Navigate Uncertainty
Sam says “Go back to basics.”
He points out that as humans we try to overcomplicate things with grand goals and plans to change things.
Instead, in going back to the basics as you navigate uncertainty – Sam says you just need to go back to your values. As yourself what matters to you. Determine what those core values in your life are. He says determining your core values will help you make long-term and short-term decisions.
While none of this is easy, he suggests taking a step back to reassess your goals.
Try asking yourself these questions:
“What do I really care about?” – your values
“What do I want to be belong to?” – the people I surround to, the company I’m part of, the business I’m building
“What goals do I want to have?” – why are they meaningful to me, deeper goals, your role
“What is something I care about?” – where do you want to have a substantial impact
Sam says, “If you do the basics really well – that’s most of the stuff.”
Moving Past the Victim Mindset
While there are a lot of people who have become victims throughout this pandemic, I wanted to ask Sam how to come out of that mindset when you’re ready.
Sam says first it’s important to recognize it is very normal to feel like a victim in moments of your life.
“When the world goes against you and bad things happen – it’s meant to feel bad. It’s acceptable for a few minutes, an hour to feel like a victim,” Sam recognizes, “However, if you lead your life and shape your life and behaviors around I’m the victim and the world and people are out to get me – as much as you are allowed to do that – I pretty much promise you it’s not going to be the best use of your time and the best use of your life.”
First Step – Recognition
First step to get out of it – recognize that you’re living your life in a victim mindset.
If you’re struggling getting honest about your mindset when you look in the mirror – consider talking to some trusted people and asking them what they see. You may also consider talking to a coach or a therapist.
Second Step – Small Steps
When you’ve realized you have a problem, the second step is to take small steps toward the mindset you want.
“You can not go from doing something below average to world class in a day, in a week, in a month,” Sam said.
He shares that it’s important to practice something in small steps for time to gain perspective and the opportunity to connect the dots of your life.
If you’re willing to take the small steps – that’s the win. He also points out that you don’t need to measure yourself against someone else, but instead to measure your own growth.
While you may regress as you’re working your way out of the victim mindset, if you can see an improvement over a period of time – that’s what you want.
One Mindset Shift to take on to Navigate Uncertainty
Speaking broadly, Sam says one mindset shift you can take on to navigate uncertainty would be to take responsibility and ownership for what’s going on.
He says that doesn’t mean every bad thing is your fault, instead it means you recognize it is your responsibility to make the best decision for you and those you care about regardless of what’s going on around you.
“The problem with uncertainty is you feel like you have no control. And that is true that you can lose control in some things like your job, or your sales dip because the environment has changed, but if you can hone in on what you care about and what things you can really take ownership of and move forward – you’re just going to deal with things a lot better,” Sam said.
Instead of saying “The pandemic has ruined my business” – even though it very well may have to the worst levels. Sam suggests asking yourself, “How can I evolve? How can I progress? How can I take responsibility so people want to work with my business? People want to give me that job. How to I set this new PB? Etc.”
“Take more responsibility, otherwise you’re at the whim of the world.,” he said.
More on the Podcast
- How to set deeper goals for yourself based on your values around 7:50 in the conversation
- Setting goals in the face of uncertainty
- How to start taking action instead of continuing to learn
- Learn how to deal with the voice in your head that doesn’t believe your an do it
Want more?
- Take a listen to this conversation about how to not only navigate uncertainty, but to thrive in it
- Plus how to use the pandemic as an opportunity to build resilience in children here
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