Through the tension – creating a sense of certainty By Mandy Carlson

Through the tension –

creating a sense of certainty

By Mandy Carlson

Creating certainty is in the spotlight as being a contributing factor for effectiveness.

Balancing the tension between what is known and what is unknown can enhance our ability to think and act more effectively.

‘A sense of certainty is one of the brain’s intrinsic goals. At a fundamental level in the brain, certainty has to do with the ability to predict, using past patterns to prepare for what comes next. Everything we do moment to moment is based on predictive patterns.’ David Rock

Creating a sense of certainty helps us see things more clearly which enables us to predict more accurately. We know where we stand, understand our current context or reality, and can see the future possibilities that lie ahead. There’s a feeling of groundedness and we can feel it in our gut. This means we are more likely to be positioned to take the right action at the right time, and to be eliminating some of the unnecessary distracting thoughts (like worry because of uncertainty) in our minds as well as some of the clutter that sits on and off our everyday work/life paths.

We experience uncertainty in our brains in much the same way as physical pain. Recent research shows us that, like pain, too much uncertainty can reduce our high performance energy levels and cloud our thinking. We experience a decrease in the functional capability of our brain, in particular in the prefrontal cortex which is responsible for optimal executive thinking. And because our brains and our bodies are one system, ongoing and intense levels of uncertainty can then result in anxiety, high stress levels, and in some cases burnout or disease.

It is true, we may not know or be able to anticipate everything, like a pandemic, job loss or surprise meeting. And it is the case that we are all unique and have different levels of mental and physical resilience, and some people need more certainty, some less. However, we all can and should strive for some level of certainty in our lives.

What can we do?

What we can do is use the resources that we each have and can gain, and equip ourselves with ways to reduce the anxiety of the unknown, find a sense of calm, and be able to think and act with more certainty. As we think about and practice new ways of creating certainty and reducing stress, we develop new patterns of behaviours (habits). This is continuous learning for personal mastery that we bring to our social ecosystems.

We are effectively settings ourselves up to operate at our best – an empowering space to be.

A better understanding of what is possible in our immediate worlds – what is closest to us and within our circle of influence gives us a better sense of knowing and being empowered (and being in control) as Steven R Covey so well advised.

Ask yourself how it would feel to be more certain. For example, it may feel like a sense of relief which means a more relaxed mind and body state. This is the sweet spot where we want to be physiologically speaking – relaxed body, relaxed mind – to be able to see with greater clarity and to do things differently to create something better for improved results.

Effectiveness encompasses wellbeing of body and mind and our application of ourselves in everyday life – how we are performing relative to what is available to us and what we can create. It is a dynamic concept and refers to how capable we are of doing most effectively what we need to do, and building our capability to stretch and grow further.

Just think about the uncertain paths we have and are navigating. There are more uncertainties than ever experienced during this time of survival and transition in our worlds. And at the same time there is so much opportunity, especially to innovate and do things differently and with speed. We just need to see it, feel it, commit to it, and really care to make it happen.

We spend a lot of time looking back and in the present, while looking at future scenarios could create a greater experience of calm through certainty.

Consider the process of creating future scenarios for certainty – to ease the tension and to feel more empowered in what you know and what the future may bring.

How can having a greater sense of certainty support us?

Giving attention to ‘what if’ means that we can experience how we think, feel and would respond based on the information we have at hand, and the more personally relevant the information available to us, the more we can increase our ability to think and feel and respond most effectively.

Explore - see how certainty presents in your thoughts, relationships, everyday activities. Just observe.

Ask – once you have identified the certainties and uncertainties, see where the tension lies and ask why you are feeling this.  What are you really feeling, and how important or relevant is that particular sense of certainty for you in your life?

Openness – open up and view ways to balance the tension from different angles, from diverse perspectives. You may be surprised about what you notice. 

Predict – create different scenarios of what is possible (even if just thinking about it rather than journaling). Place yourself in these scenarios and see how you could do things differently. Create diverse scenarios of the future for deeper understanding, and a greater sense of certainty. Be curious, question, and see which ones grab your attention as being most realistic. In the process you may feel discomfort in your body and your mind until you reach just that right amount of tension [another sweet spot?].

• ®Gather information that informs your thinking.
• ®Gather information that challenges your thinking.
• ®Gather the most diverse [and credible] information.

Mindfully asking, listening, and receiving this information enables you to balance the tension and make the most of your thinking – for seeing clearly with a wider perspective, making decisions and taking action – and to feel more certain.

What one action can you take this week to create a greater sense of certainty?

‘The future will be different if we make the present different.’

Peter Maurin, social activist 1877-1949

About the Author:

The information shared by Mandy Carlson is done so with care and is educational without being academic for the purposes of bringing about positive change. The content is substantiated by contemporary neuroscience findings, as well as diverse experiential learnings of real people in their everyday lives (including the author) through the application of brain- and body-based coaching techniques.

Mandy, of carlson practices, a change consultant, coach, and learning facilitator, is a certified Results Coach through Neuroleadership Institute as well as an accredited coach through Neurozone, and recently studied through Coaches Rising. She is constantly learning through studies and practice of contemporary neuroscience findings, systems thinking, positive psychology and is passionate about empowering teams, leaders and individuals with simple tools and actionable strategies to learn and bring about lasting change for wellbeing and effectiveness.

Sources / Insights.

There is much research and science and of course human experiences that relate to this concept of certainty and building our mental resilience.

• Thinking the Future is the title of a new book by Clem Sunter and Matt Ilbury that refreshes on the need for Foxes and according to Matt at Daily Maverick’s book launch webinar ‘it makes the process of scenario thinking accessible for everyone’.
• Learning the importance of looking ahead is an inspiring read by Max Phillips on medium.com.
• Some practical suggestions on dealing with certainty in this CEO World Magazine article by Hamish Knox.
• Dr Tara Swart references developing resilience to effectively respond to stress in this Daily Stoic article and offers a simple exercise to help build mental resilience.
• Gartner highlights scenario planning tips and tools on their website and in an eBook.
• Dr David Rock of Neuroleadership Institute shares neuroscientific insights in a Forbes article on creating clarity.
• Dr Etienne van der Walt shares latest data from Neurozone on optimising our finite energy to enhance our resilience for high performance.

Comments:

Feedback of insights, thoughts, and experiences as you explore this theme are welcomed.

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