Techniques For Staying Motivated During Uncertainty

Early in my career, I faced a moment many of us dread: A sudden, unexpected company reorganization. It seemed like overnight ➟ my role ➟ my team ➟ my daily tasks were all up in the air. I remember the anxiety. The flurry of rumors. The uncertainty. They clouded my thoughts about the future. But it was in this chaos that I found clarity. I realized that change, though daunting, also brings opportunities for growth. I wrote an article on this for Harvard Business Review. Here are 5 actions you can take when your professional life is unpredictable: 1. Embrace the Uncertainty Use periods of change as a catalyst for introspection. Reflect on what truly matters to you and your future. 2. Define Your Identity Think about who you need to be... Not just what you need to do. 3. Focus on the Process Establish and commit to positive career behaviors. It gives you a sense of control and leads to results. Examples: • Contribute in each team meeting • Expand your network every week  • Offer a strategic idea to leadership monthly • Take on a stretch opportunity once a quarter • Thank a coworker for something helpful every day 4. Cultivate Learning Agility Be ready to adapt. Stay curious. Embrace new ideas. This mindset isn't just to survive; it helps you thrive. 5. Ask for and Act on Feedback Regularly seek feedback. Take time to reflect on it. It's crucial to know where you're growing. And where you need to improve. Change can be scary. But it's also a chance to reset. To pivot. You may discover new paths you hadn't noticed before. Remember... It's not the strongest or most intelligent who survive. It's those who can best manage change. Lean into the uncertainty. Use it as a stepping stone. Build a career that's not just successful, but also aligned with who you truly are. Find this valuable? Repost ♻️ to share with others.  Thank you! P.S. What keeps you going when things get uncertain?

Sometimes when I'm left alone with my thoughts for too long I tend to come up with self-reflective frameworks that help me remember to ground myself in similar circumstances in the future. Occasionally, I'll come up with a silly acronym for them, B.A.R.F. has been on my mind quite a bit in dealing with uncertainty lately. Marketing is an odd duck, an exercise in convincing others of almost anything usually is but I’ve found myself reverting back to this: B is for Brief 📝: Most critically your ability to self edit and crystallize what you’re trying to accomplish or the challenge you’re faced with helps avoid churn on avoidable misfires and misguided solutions. Simple problems have simple solutions. ps. If you’re literal, sure, a capital b ‘Brief’ will help you with this, keep it short. Keep it crisp. A is for Active 🏃: The enemy of uncertainty is action, deliberate, swift and sometimes aggressive - shocking the system to wake it up from an undue slumber or paralysis is a pretty important factor. Recognizing where you’re stuck and acknowledging it as a moment to act more so. Get moving. R is for Rational 🧠: Emotionally charged problems are impossible to solve but perfectly relatable. Frame your anxiety, challenge or task as objectively as you can, suspend belief if you will, on the difficulties and dangers of your answers as they relate to others. Don’t self-defeat. F is for Flexible 🤸: The world is not as rigid as it sits on a page, and your solution may face challenges unexpected, variables uncontrollable and people. Importantly, people. Be open and candid, be willing to change and don’t expect others to change for you.

During times of change or uncertainty, it’s normal to feel the urge to act, but not know where or how to begin. One of my go-to moves when I hit that moment is to connect with others. In the workplace, change rarely happens in isolation. If you’re feeling uncertain, odds are your teammates are too. This is where the strength of connection matters most. Research shows that helping or being in service to and with others boosts our engagement and well-being, sometimes referred to as the “helper’s high.” If you’re not sure how to get started, try these small actions: ➡️ Check in on your peers - This is a natural (and maybe obvious) place to start by going and checking in with your teammates, cross-functional stakeholders etc. See how they are doing, demonstrate that you care for their well-being and are there to support them. It will earn you goodwill, but also may help you feel better and not solo. ➡️ Create conditions for groups - In addition to checking in on a 1:1 level, go ahead and create space for groups of people to connect and share with each other. By acting as a facilitator or convener, you can bring people together so they can share, connect and learn from one other. These can be actual connection moments (in-person or virtual) but they can be as simple as spinning up a group text, slack channel or other communication forum for people to connect. ➡️ Go first in building trust - Uncertainty can raise our defenses. Be the person who lowers them. Lead with openness, authenticity, and a touch of vulnerability. When you show you can be trusted, others are more likely to follow your lead. These actions may seem small, but that's often what we need to feel like we're making progress, or to grab a sense of stability. How are you finding ways to connect with others during times of change and uncertainty? #leadership #change

When the World Gets Uncertain, Great Leaders Reframe. Constant news. Uncertainty. Pressure to know everything. It’s not just the pace of change that’s exhausting—it’s the stories we tell ourselves in response. It’s the thoughts that take over our brains. That’s why I lean hard on REFRAMING in my leadership work. It doesn’t change the facts. It changes what those facts mean to you. When our brains spiral with thoughts like: “I should’ve seen this coming.” “Everyone else has it figured out.” “I need to have the perfect answer.” We don’t need to silence those thoughts—we need to reframe them. Here are a few powerful shifts for this moment:  ❌ “I need to know everything.”  ✅ “I need to know enough to take the next smart step.” → Focus on progress, not perfection.  ❌“Everyone’s ahead of me.” ✅ “We’re all navigating this together—in different ways.” → You’re not behind—you’re human.  ❌“This shouldn’t be happening.”  ✅ “This is happening. Now how do I respond?” → Power comes from acceptance, not avoidance.  ❌ “I have to get it right.”  ✅ “I have to keep learning.” → In uncertain times, learning is the strategy. Reframing is mental agility. It helps you lead, adapt, and grow—especially when the path is unclear. If you want to change how you lead, start by shifting how you see and think. What reframe is helping you right now? Please let me know so that we can navigate this shift together. #Reframing #MindsetShift #AgileLeadership #LeadershipUnderPressure #Uncertainty #MentalFlexibility