Why we have never felt more uncertain (and how it can be our Superpower)

According to the World Uncertainty Index (Ahir) we’re living in the most uncertain time in human history. In fact, according to one study 50 percent of CEOs cited uncertainty as the greatest threat to their business. After the past 18 months I’m sure we can all relate.

So uncertainty is seemingly rife, but to keep us safe, our brains have evolved to use a central mechanism that constantly tries to predict what is about to happen known as ‘fear of the future’. The more uncertain the future is, the more its tendency to panic is and trigger a fear response in the body. 

This long term stress can actually be really detrimental to our physical and mental health. Our inability to embrace uncertainty limits us from making proactive choices leading to the regret of missed opportunity. This ‘FOMO’ as it’s often called is what underpins uncertainty as being the real root of much anxiety. This can feel highly overwhelming and keep us from making brave or creative decisions.

We need a superhero. Well, an origin story at least. If you can find the benefits in the adversities you’ve overcome, your brain will learn to embrace challenges and see them as lessons. If we reframe our attitude to tough times, then whatever doesn’t kill us, really can make us stronger.

Let me give you an example. When I set up my last business uncertainty was everywhere, we were new, things were fresh and exciting. We were harnessing uncertainty as our super power and we were in the zone. But as the business grew and I felt more responsible for the people we employed I found that we had a desire to create more structure and certainty for team members. 

Whilst certainty has its merits and some people thrive with traditional pathways, what I discovered was that it closed the mental, and sometimes even physical  space, for thinking more creatively. That might be on the work we were doing for clients or or the company’s own IP or my own ideas. So we decided to create our own ‘innovation fund’ where people could use this pot of money and % of time to think differently.

Whilst most of these reactions in our brains occur unconsciously, they become habitual reactions we can learn to become consciously aware of. Thought patterns, bias and fear responses can be reversed meaning that when uncertainty rears its inevitable head we are more able to not let fear overwhelm us. Instead can make better, more informed and rational choices that ultimately serve us better taking us towards our goals. You have a new response, controlling the fear before it leads to limiting anxiety. 

So by understanding some of the habits that can hold you back, you can actively drive your vision forward. Embrace the exciting nature of start up life which can be passionate, exciting and sometimes a little chaotic. But pay attention to your limiting behaviours and face them. Embrace your uncertainty. Indeed, in the same survey I mentioned earlier the majority of CEOs agreed the most important factor in outperforming their peers was their tolerance to uncertainty (UT). 

What’s more, in this space where the brain is on 'high arousal' our brains have the ability to suddenly absorb more information. You can learn to harness your anxiety to be more creative, innovative, be a better leader and problem solver. It’s possible to go beyond facing uncertainty and use this heightened ‘super hero’ state of mind to actively decide where you want to be in the future, and navigate towards that.

In the uncertainty Experts this is exactly what we do, we teach the skills to firstly combat fear in the moment, from grounding interventions such as breathwork to increasing our mind body connection (interoception). There are a range of ways to gain control when uncertainty spins into a negative spiral. We use cognitive restructuring to rewire the brain leading to amazing new ways of thinking which does take some time and intention, but as we've shown, is possible by everyone. 

By learning to embrace uncertainty, the existence of which is probably the only certainty there is, both Yale and our UCL research confirms that we can reduce anxiety and instead use it to actually increase our creativity. Uncertainty really is our biggest superpower.