The Anxious Achiever Uncertainty Can Be Awesome With Maggie Jackson
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Dec 16, 2025 
Maggie Jackson, an author and expert on uncertainty, dives into how embracing the unknown can enhance creativity and resilience. She explores how our brains react to uncertainty and redefines it from a threat to an opportunity for growth. The discussion reveals the power of 'good stress' and the benefits of curiosity in reducing anxiety. Listeners will learn practical strategies to foster an environment that welcomes uncertainty, encourages exploration, and strengthens collaboration, ultimately transforming decision-making for leaders and teams alike.
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Uncertainty Spurs Cognitive Wakefulness
- Uncertainty often triggers beneficial brain changes like heightened attention and working memory.
- Maggie Jackson argues uncertainty can be reframed as opportunity rather than threat.
Good Stress Versus Fear
- The discomfort of uncertainty produces arousal that broadens attention and readies problem-solving.
- Jackson calls this state "good stress" that helps update our assumptions about the world.
Expect Unpredictability To Stay Alert
- Expect unpredictability in dynamic situations to stay alert and notice change.
- Lean into uncertainty to recruit norepinephrine and cognitive effort rather than shutting down.
