Often we get overwhelmed by our own lives, and feelings. When we feel stuck and think that we do not know how to move forward, it is frustrating, discouraging and aggravating. 

It happens to us when we have a lot to do and we are not sure how to prioritize and make everything work; it happens to us when we have little to do and we do not know how to fill out days insightfully. It happens to us for any reason. Because this is how our brain works. 

“What should I do next?” – “I don’t know!”

“How can I reach this goal?” – “I don’t know!”

“How can I make this work?” – “I don’t know!”

As uncomfortable as “I don’t know” feels, it feels more safe and relaxed to our brain, than to think about the actual steps needed, which include trial and error, to make things move forward and work in our lives. 

But here is the thing; whenever we think that “I don’t know”, we don’t end up doing anything. We are staying put. We are not trying to change or adjust anything about the given situation.

Of course we do not always know the secret ingredient or action to lead to the desired outcome. But we do know that we will not find out without trying. We will not know from staying put and not doing anything.

Here is the thing, we never know how to do something, until we do it. We didn’t know how to walk until we walked. We didn’t know how to get through elementary school, until we graduated, we didn’t know how to ride a bicycle, or swim, until we  did. We did not know how to do our job, find customers, sell our product and services, until we did. 

We figured it out by not knowing, deciding on a course of action, trying, evaluating, and adjusting our course of action. Over and over again.

Our brain loves being efficient and it loves having answers. If we allow it to respond to a question such as “what should I do” or “what is the next step” with “I don’t know”, we give it an easy, and comfortable way out. It allows us to dismiss responsibility. While this initially feels safe, and comfortable to our brain, it is extremely disempowering and inhibiting. 

On the other hand, however, if we ask our brain to “just take a guess”, and we refuse to accept “I don’t know” as an answer, our brain will use all its power to come up with an option. 

This guess may be the step to the ultimate desired outcome, and may be a trial that ends up being unsuccessful. But here is the thing; without guessing the next step, we will never try. And without trying, we will never find out.

I therefore want to urge you to never accept “I don’t know” as an answer. Inaction never gets you closer to your goals. Inaction never helps you figure out what you should or should not be doing. 

Trial and error does. Allowing yourself to try and potentially fail does. 

When you find yourself thinking “I don’t know”, always force your brain to take a guess. Push yourself, until your brain will come up with an answer.

And when all the doubt comes up with whether that guess is “the right one” or not, remember: you will not know until you try. Try it and see what happens. Whether you will feel closer to your goal or not, you will be a step further than you are now. You will know whether that one thing you tried works or not. 

Don’t wait for tomorrow to know. You will not know until you dare to take a guess. The day you will find that “secret ingredient” to get you to your goal, is the day you will thank yourself that you started looking for it TODAY.

Nibbles of Wisdom