Why Saying “I don’t know” is Hurting Your Career
“Know that it’s your decisions, and not your conditions, that determine your destiny.” – Tony Robbins
Every day, I work with successful and intelligent leaders who are accomplished in their professional lives, but are looking for more direction when it comes to their future. So when it comes to discussing their plan for the future – whether that be their career or just life in general – and I ask them how they want to spend these future years – many often reply with “I don’t know”.
While it may be true that in the moment when asked, clients don’t “know” what to do, I find through our work together and in every case, that they do in fact “know what to do”. And very often, this is where the foundation of our work begins.
So why does this happen? Why do we so easily say “I don’t know” especially when it comes to our future plans?
What I have found is this – we say “I don’t know” in order to stay in the realm of indecision. Because saying “I don’t know” is non-committal and allows us to stay in our present situation without experiencing the discomfort that comes with growth. Especially if what we want in our future life/career requires us to evolve in any way. It feels safe. And the dangerous part is that so often we say this to ourselves habitually and unconsciously and we end up blocking ourselves from our own wisdom. Even at the most primal level, our human brain is designed to resist and avoid anything that is unfamiliar to us. So saying “I don’t know” keeps us “safe”. Just ask your brain.
While staying in this realm of “I don’t know” seems innocent – it is far from it. And saying this about your future career plans, business, or life in general can be extremely damaging. Tony Robbins states, “Know that it’s your decisions, and not your conditions, that determine your destiny”. By choosing not to make a decision and stay in the realm of “I don’t know”, we are missing out on living our destiny.
To help my clients gain clarity surrounding their future career, business, and life, we do a deep-dive into all of their “I don’t knows”. My clients go from “I don’t know” to full clarity in their life and career/business. By providing them with the tools they need, clients are able to create the life and career or business they dream of, and totally on purpose.
If you’re ready to learn how to stop saying “I don’t know” and create a life and career or business on purpose, click here to book a complimentary 20 minute coaching session: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=13605969&appointmentType=6136068