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Uncertainty - An Invitation To Act

Uncertainty - An Invitation To Act

Frederik Pferdt
February 28, 2025

Prefer to listen 🎧 > click here.

Hello 🌄

You know the feeling.
The moment before a big decision.
The pit in your stomach when you don’t know what happens next.
The hesitation, the doubt—should I wait? Should I hold back? Should I play it safe?

Now imagine standing on a tightrope above a canyon. Below you? Nothing but air. No certainty, no safety net, no clear outcome. Your mind keeps asking: "Aren’t you afraid of falling?" But then, a thought interrupts the fear:

"I don’t focus on falling. I focus on the next step."

That’s the secret. You don’t need to see the whole path. You just need to take the next step.

Uncertainty is everywhere

We don’t know what the economy will do.
We don’t know what politicians will decide.
We don’t know how others will act, what changes will come, or what tomorrow will bring.

It’s like standing at the edge of a dense forest at night. The path disappears into darkness, and every instinct tells us to wait for daylight. But what if the way forward isn’t about waiting—what if it’s about stepping in?

Our brains are wired to crave certainty—they constantly try to predict what will happen next. But when the future is unknown, they fill in the gaps with fear.

Neuroscience shows that people who can tolerate uncertainty aren’t just more adaptable—they’re more creative and even happier. Why? Because instead of fearing what’s next, they learn to shape it.

ONE QUESTION TO REFLECT ON

Set a timer to 3 minutes, write an email to yourself about: When did you wait for certainty that never came?

We often try to fight uncertainty, to reduce it, to control it. But what if we stopped resisting and started using it? What if uncertainty wasn’t a void, but a space where new possibilities emerge?

TWO PERSPECTIVES ON UNCERTAINTY

Personal Perspective

When I left my last job, uncertainty hit me like a wave. No clear next step. No guarantees. No certainty about what would happen.

But uncertainty doesn’t just come in big career moments. What about the moment before hitting send on an email that could change everything.

It’s there when we think about switching careers, starting something new, or even making a small change in our routine. It’s the hesitation before making a phone call you know you need to make. The fear of saying yes to something that excites you.

I could have waited until I had all the answers. But waiting wasn’t an option.

So I started moving—small steps, small experiments, conversations, ideas, actions. And in that motion, the future started to unfold. Not because I knew exactly where I was going—but because I didn’t let uncertainty stop me.

Another Perspective

Think about the last time uncertainty held you back. Maybe you didn’t take the opportunity, didn’t speak up, didn’t start. What if uncertainty wasn't a problem — what if it was actually an invitation for change.

Psychologist Mark Miller calls uncertainty "informative chaos." It’s when the brain shifts into exploration mode, searching for new patterns, new ideas, new solutions.

Research shows that people who embrace uncertainty aren’t just more adaptable—they’re more creative, more resilient, and even happier. Why? Because instead of fearing what’s next, they learn to shape it.

ONE EXPERIMENT GROUNDING FOR UNCERTAIN MOMENTS

When uncertainty feels overwhelming, return to what is certain right now.

5 things you see 🌎 (shapes, textures, movement)
4 things you feel ✋ (your breath, fabric on your skin, the weight of your feet on the floor)
3 things you hear 🎧 (distant sounds, your own voice, silence)
2 things you smell 👃 (coffee, fresh air, something familiar)
1 thing you taste 👅 (a sip of water, a mint, the air itself)

This brings you back to the only moment you truly control—the present. And from here, you move forward.

THE FUTURE IS ALWAYS UNCERTAIN. THAT’S THE POINT.

In just a few days, I’ll be stepping onto the stage at SXSW, standing in front of people I’ve never met, not knowing exactly what questions will come or what unexpected conversations will unfold.

And that’s what makes it thrilling. I trust that the right people will be in the room. I trust that meaningful conversations will emerge. I trust that stepping into this uncertainty is the right move.

And then there’s my book Future Ready Mind, which just launched in Korea. That entire experience was a leap into the unknown. Would the ideas resonate? How would the translation land? Who would pick it up and feel inspired to create their own future?

But I didn’t need to have all the answers—because I fully trusted my Korean publisher, whom I had only met once. I trusted their vision, their expertise, their ability to bring this book to life in a new language and culture. And that trust allowed me to let go of control and embrace the unknown.

Watch the video from my Korean publisher here.

TRUST SHRINKS UNCERTAINTY. ACTION SHAPES THE FUTURE.

Trust doesn’t eliminate uncertainty, but it softens it- trust in ourselves, others, a process or even sometimes the universe. It allows us to move forward without needing to control everything. And when we pair trust with action, we don’t just navigate uncertainty—we shape what’s next.

Uncertainty isn’t the enemy of progress. It’s the birthplace of everything new.

– With Future Love, Frederik

P.S. If this spoke to you, pass it along. Someone else might need it too.

THE FUTURE IS HOW - NEW EPISODE

In the latest episode of my new podcast, I dive into the power of vulnerability in uncertain times with Newton Cheng, Mental Health Advocate, Athlete and Family Man.

Listen to The Future Is How
with Newton Cheng & Frederik

What if owning your mental health wasn’t just about feeling better—but about navigating uncertainty and preparing for the future?

In this week’s The Future Is HOW podcast, I sit down with my friend Newton Cheng (@newtoncheng), Director of Health & Performance at Google, who faced a moment of deep uncertainty. After experiencing burnout, he took a mental health leave—and instead of calling it a sabbatical, he shared his story openly. That choice not only shaped his own future but sparked a movement redefining leadership.

What if vulnerability is actually the key to thriving in uncertainty?

We explore:
Why openness in mental health builds resilience in uncertain times
How vulnerability strengthens leadership and self-trust
Daily practices to stay grounded when the future feels unclear

🎧 Listen here

Because the future isn’t about certainty—it’s about how we show up today.

📺 Special for Our Community: The video of my conversation with Newton Cheng.

ZUKUNFTSGEIST-TOUR

A journey across Austria🇦🇹, Switzerland🇨🇭 and Germany🇩🇪 where we won’t just talk about the future—we’ll build it with YOU, our Community & special guests there together. 🚀

Let’s make happen what’s next—together. 💛