If I had a TED Talk (hey TED, I'm ready when you are!), it’d be this: Ambiguity is a feature, not a bug.
By this I mean, when life is uncertain, when we're going through change, we're immersed in ambiguity.
And if we can approach that ambiguity like a gift, ask what portal it's opening for us, we can create magic.
Sounds lovely, right?
But is that how you first see change?
Not me, not usually.
My first instinct? Yikes, this is scary.
That's biology.
Change puts us immediately into a stress response: fight, flight, or freeze.
Instinctively, we think: How do I get through this as fast as possible? How do I get back to steady state?
The trick is learning how to turn scary into thrilling.
Fun fact: Fear and excitement show up almost identically in the body.
It’s the story we tell ourselves that makes the difference.
So here’s a story worth trying on:
We all have something we wish for: a new way to work, live, or be.
And life has a funny way of gifting us change:
A job ends. A plan falls through. A client backs out.
When we're immersed in the ambiguity of those periods, what if we asked:
What good could come of this?
(Genuine question, no sarcasm intended.)
I think of these moments as questions: Do I want to turn in or turn away?
Turning in is how we embrace ambiguity.
The difference between people who bring a dream to life and those who don’t?
The former… simply try.
They—we—treat ambiguity not as an obstacle, but as leverage.
Of course, that’s easy to say and harder to do.
Which is why, in a world built for certainty, we need people and places that normalize basking in the uncertain.
I think that’s why you’re here. It’s definitely why I’m here.
The company we keep helps us shape the stories we live by.
So today, I want to honor the (ambiguous? 😂) company we keep.
Who in your life is doing that—turning in?
Grab a piece of paper and jot down your answers:
- Who’s embracing ambiguity and moving forward anyway?
- Who’s cheering you on?
- Who really gets what you're building—and helps you stay in it when you're stuck?
- What resources help you feel less alone?
- And what would it look like to strengthen your support system, even a little, today?
I’m thinking of launching a cohort for those of us using our ambiguity to shape and move forward an idea or venture we’ve been contemplating. Almost an anti-accelerator.
Reply to this email if you’re curious—I'd love to hear from you.
And leaders:
Want to help your organization thrive in ambiguity?
I’m building something that turns design mindsets into leadership tools.
I’m looking for a few leaders to give early feedback — and for teams to prototype later this summer.
Reply back and let’s chat!
And thank you to the company I keep.
If you’ve ever nudged me to keep going when I felt the uncertainty down to my toes—know that I needed that. And I’m so grateful.
Ambiguity is so much more fun with company.
Thank you for being in it with me.
And when the TED Talk happens (right, TED, it’s happening!)?
It’ll be thanks to the company I keep.
