A Slight Change of Plans Can Uncertainty Be a Gift?
79 snips
Aug 4, 2026 
Simone Stolzoff, journalist and author of How to Not Know, investigates the value of living with unanswerable questions. They explore uncertainty as a source of possibility and growth. Short strategies for holding ambiguity, identity shifts in change, and how doubt can lead to discovery are discussed in quick, engaging turns.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Waiting Amplifies Stress More Than Known Outcomes
- Waiting for results often causes more stress than receiving bad outcomes because uncertainty prevents directing energy and planning.
- Maya connects studies about biopsies and test-result anxiety to moments in her life when not knowing undermined well-being.
Anchor Identity To Why Not What You Do
- Anchoring identity to your why (values) is more resilient than anchoring it to what you do, because the why persists when roles change.
- Maya describes losing her violin and discovering human connection was the core why that led her to cognitive science and hosting.
Slack Was Born By Shutting Down A Hit Game
- Tiny Speck shut down its popular game despite success and pivoted to an internal communications tool that became Slack.
- Simone uses Stuart Butterfield's decision to close Glitch early as an example of discovering opportunity within uncertainty.
