Growth and Certainty Rarely Travel Together

The photo above was taken moments before I went live on television this week. Looking at it now, I can remember exactly how I felt. Although I had prepared for the interview and knew the material well, I could feel my nerves kicking in as I waited for the segment to begin. I found myself wondering whether I had prepared enough, whether I would communicate the message the way I intended, and whether the audience would connect with what I had to say.

At first, I assumed I was nervous because I was about to be on television. On the drive home, however, I realized that television was not really the issue. What I was feeling was uncertainty.

I could not predict exactly how the conversation would unfold. I could not control how the audience would respond. I could not guarantee that I would say everything I wanted to say in the short amount of time I had been given.

That realization stayed with me because it reminded me of a lesson I seem to keep learning over and over again: growth and certainty rarely travel together.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how often this pattern shows up in our lives.

Over the last year, I have launched a business, written a book, pitched speaking opportunities, submitted proposals, participated in media interviews, and put my work into the world in ways that felt both exciting and uncomfortable. From the outside, those experiences may look like confidence. What people do not always see are the questions that accompany them.

Will anyone buy the book?

Will the proposal be selected?

Will the audience connect with the message?

Will the investment of time, energy, and effort be worth it?

While the circumstances may differ, most of us ask ourselves some version of these same questions. Whether we are changing careers, becoming an empty nester, navigating a health challenge, starting a business, ending a relationship, or stepping into a leadership role, we are often searching for reassurance that we are making the right decision.

We want certainty.

The challenge is that certainty is rarely available when growth is calling.

The promotion arrives before we feel fully prepared. The business launches before we know whether it will succeed. The difficult conversation takes place before we know how the other person will respond. Opportunities often appear before we feel ready to pursue them.

In my work, I often talk about the three things people fear losing during change: competence, certainty, and control. The more I reflect on those three things, the more I realize they are connected to a deeper human need. We all want to feel safe.

Competence helps us feel capable of handling what comes next. Certainty helps us feel prepared for the future. Control helps us feel protected when circumstances feel unpredictable.

When any of those things feel threatened, our reactions make perfect sense. We ask more questions, seek reassurance, hesitate, and sometimes resist. These reactions do not happen because we are weak or incapable. They happen because we are human.

I see this play out in organizations every day. Leaders often assume people resist change because they dislike change. I do not believe that is true. Most people change constantly throughout their lives. They learn new skills, move to new cities, start families, adapt to unexpected circumstances, and overcome challenges they never imagined they would face.

What people often struggle with is uncertainty. When we do not know what comes next, whether we will be successful, or how a decision might affect us personally, our minds naturally search for reassurance.

The same is true outside of work.

Many of the decisions we make are influenced by our desire to reduce uncertainty and increase our sense of safety. Sometimes that instinct serves us well. Sometimes it keeps us standing still.

What fascinates me is that the very experiences that help us grow are often the same experiences that make us uncomfortable. Growth requires us to move forward before we have all the answers. It requires us to trust ourselves before we have proof that everything will work out. It requires us to take the next step without knowing exactly where the path will lead.

Perhaps that is why courage matters so much.

Courage is not confidence that everything will work out exactly as planned. Courage is the willingness to move forward despite uncertainty. It is the decision to act without a guarantee and to trust yourself enough to figure things out along the way.

As I stood in that television studio waiting for the cameras to roll, I was reminded that uncertainty never completely disappears. No matter how much experience we have, how much we prepare, or how much we know, there will always be moments when the outcome remains unclear.

Perhaps the goal is not to eliminate uncertainty. Perhaps the goal is to trust ourselves enough to move forward anyway.

After all, if growth and certainty rarely travel together, waiting for certainty may mean missing the very opportunity that was meant for us.

BGPD Rule #128: Growth and certainty rarely travel together.

For much of my life, I believed confidence came first and action followed. I thought that once I had enough information, enough experience, or enough reassurance, I would feel ready to take the next step.

What I have learned instead is that confidence is often built after we begin.

The business launches before we know whether it will succeed. The opportunity appears before we know whether we are ready. The difficult conversation takes place before we know how it will end. Some of the most meaningful moments in our lives arrive long before we feel completely prepared for them.

If you are waiting for certainty before you act, you may be waiting for something that never comes. Put on your big girl panties and take the next step anyway.

P.S. The television interview that inspired this reflection aired earlier this week. We talked about why change feels so hard, why resistance is a natural human response, and how understanding ourselves better helps us navigate uncertainty with greater confidence. If you'd like to watch the segment, you can find it here.

Julie Ann Whitten is a change advisor, keynote speaker, and the author of The People Stack: Why Change Fails (and What Actually Fixes It), available now on Amazon. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience leading transformation, communications, and organizational change, she helps leaders understand the human side of adoption and build the trust required to make change stick.