Uncertainty makes it harder to make progress and find flow in meaningful things. In easy conditions, progress is a straight line toward an end point. But when there’s uncertainty, progress is more like a feedback loop. The key is to focus on what you control and let go of what you do not.
In episode 68 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:
1) When faced with the unknown, you can either take action or no action, do something or do nothing.
2) The difference between uncertainty and ambiguity and why they both cause frustration.
3) The Paradox of Control and how we create anxiety.
4) How good anxiety works for you and bad anxiety works against you.
5) The Progress Principle and ways to leverage it.
6) Progress is a feedback loop when you face the unknown.
7) How to step into uncertainty to make progress and find flow:
Tip 1 – Define the right problem or challenge to tackle before you get into solution mode.
Tip 2 – Break up the problem or challenge into subproblems or smaller challenges.
Tip 3 – Set clear, daily goals to make consistent progress, get immediate feedback and exercise control. (Stage 1 of flow cycle.)
Tip 4 – Disengage from the problem or challenge and let yourself imagine, daydream and mind-wander with intention. (Stage 2 of flow cycle.)
Tip 5 – Zoom in on the task at hand and find the sweet spot where the challenge is the right match for your current skill set. (Stage 3 of flow cycle.)
Tip 6 – Zoom out from the problem, take a break and rest. (Stage 4 of flow cycle.)
8) Benefits of the Flow Cycle
9) Benefits of the Progress Loop
10) I’m making an online course currently titled The Busyness Trap: How to Escape Overload and Focus on What Matters. To get updates on the course launch and registration process, subscribe to my e-newsletter or The Incrementalist YouTube channel or podcast.
To read the transcript of this episode, go here.
To listen to the podcast, click here and subscribe.
Watch the video on The Incrementalist YouTube channel. And subscribe to the show to keep making big changes in small steps.
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Dyan Williams is a solo lawyer who practices U.S. immigration law and legal ethics at Dyan Williams Law PLLC. She is also a productivity coach who helps busy professionals and business owners reduce overwhelm, turn their ideas into action, and focus on what matters. She is the author of The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps.
