Activity: Positive Uncertainty

Prominent career development & decision-making theorist, H.B. Gelatt, developed the four paradoxical principles of Positive Uncertainty. Observing that our world and lives do not work linearly, rationally, or as planned, Gelatt argued that adapting to change and uncertainty is not merely a strategy but a necessary mindset. These principles encourage embracing the unpredictable nature of life as an opportunity for growth and learning, rather than a hurdle to overcome.

* Journal of Counseling Psychology, 1989, Vol. 36, No. 2

Person standing on floor near arrows pointing in different directions

Four Principles of Positive Uncertainty

1. Be focused and flexible about what you want

Positive Uncertainty - Be focused and flexible

Illustration of several potted plants on a windowsill with bubbles floating in the air.

Tips on how to be focused and flexible in career decision-making?

Try to understand your needs and goals and make a plan
Consider multiple possibilities as you plan ahead
Be adaptable by continuously learning and updating your skills

Here is an activity that will help you explore how focusing on your goals while remaining adaptable can shape your career path.

Visualize Your Career Path: Take a moment to visualize where you want to be in your career five years from now. Write down specific details such as the role, the skills required, the industry, and the kind of projects you want to be involved in.

Explore Alternate Paths:

- Identify Alternatives: List three alternative paths that could lead to your goal based on your initial vision.
  - - - These could be different roles in the same industry, similar roles in different industries, or even entrepreneurial endeavours that align with your career objectives.

- Planning for Alternatives: For each alternative path, outline what specific steps or changes in approach would be required compared to your original plan.

- - - - This may include additional skills, experiences, or network-building strategies.

Continuous Learning Plan:

- Skill Development: For each path (original and alternatives), identify key skills that need to be developed.

- Learning Resources: For each skill, list resources that could help you develop them, such as courses, workshops, webinars, or books.

How did considering alternative paths change your perspective on career planning?

What steps will you take to ensure continuous learning and adaptability along your career path?

2. Be aware of and wary about what you know

Positive Uncertainty - Be aware and wary

Illustration of plants on the windowsill. a large window with rain outside. overlooking a cloudy sky.

Tips on how to be aware and wary about career decision-making?

Obtain and use information effectively in making your decision.
Challenge your assumptions and biases in decision-making and seek out diverse perspectives.
Be aware that useful information can be limited and frequently misleading.

Here is an activity to reflect on how to be aware in you decision-making:

Think of a decision you made recently.

What else could you do? What action?

What else could happen? Outcomes? Can you think of three possible outcomes?

What else could you do? What action?

What else could happen? Outcomes? Can you think of three possible outcomes?

What else could you do? What action?

What else could happen? Outcomes? Can you think of three possible outcomes?

How do you feel about your decision now?

What do you now know about your decision?

Note: This activity is adapted from Gelatt, H. B., & Gelatt, V. N. (n.d.). Positive Uncertainty [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.gelattpartners.com/positiveuncertainty.html (site no longer active)

3. Be realistic and optimistic about what you believe

Positive Uncertainty - Be realistic and optimistic

Six potted plants on a windowsill with raindrops on the windowpane and a cityscape visible in the background.

Tips on how you can be realistic and optimistic about what you believe?

Be aware of the influence on your decision-making.
Confirm that your beliefs serve as connections, not obstacles.
Make a plan: Carry an umbrella if you believe it will rain.

Here is an activity to help with realistic and optimistic aspects of your decisions:

Consider a career decision-making scenario (a job interview, career change, job search). Now apply that scenario tho the questions below.

Best Scenario

Describe the most desirable scenario you can imagine.

Worst Scenario

Describe the least desirable scenario you can imagine.

Most Likely Scenario

Describe the scenario you predict will most likely happen.

Was the best scenario easy or difficult to imagine? Why?

Was the worst scenario harder or easier to imagine than the best scenario? Why?

Was the most likely scenario easy or difficult to imagine? Why?

Is it really the best scenario anyone could imagine? Why?

Is it really the worst scenario anyone could imagine? Why?

What facts did you use to visualize the most likely scenario?

Is your best scenario overly optimistic or overly pessimistic?

Is your worst scenario overly optimistic or overly pessimistic?

Was the most likely scenario overly optimistic or overly pessimistic?

How did you feel while thinking about the best scenario?

How did you feel while thinking about the worst scenario?

How did you feel while thinking about the most likely scenario?

Was your most likely scenario closest to your best or worst scenario? Why?

What does your experience with scenario rehearsal tell you about your beliefs?

How might it influence your decision-making in the future?

Note: This activity is adapted from Gelatt, H. B., & Gelatt, V. N. (n.d.). Positive Uncertainty [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.gelattpartners.com/positiveuncertainty.html (site no longer active)

Changing one’s mind will be an essential decision-making skill in the future. Keeping the mind open will be another. Positive uncertainty helps clients deal with ambiguity, accept inconsistency, and utilize the intuitive side of choosing.

- H B Gelatt in 1989 *

4. Be practical and magical about what you decide.

Positive Uncertainty - Be practical and magical

Illustration of green plants on a windowsill with raindrops outside window beyond them. The background features a city skyline in a muted, foggy style.

Tips on how to be practical and magical about career decision-making?

Become aware of your own decision strategies.
Explore alternative strategies to determine the best approach for each decision.
Use both your head and your heart.

Here is an activity to help you think through the practical and magical aspects of your decisions:

Think of a decision you made recently. What decision-making methods did you use to help you make the decision?

Fatalistic: I left it up to fate to decide

Compliant: I let someone else decide

Gut Feeling: I chose what my inner voice told me, what felt right

Spiritually Guided: Utilize prayer, solitude and retreat

Data Driven: Look for data to make an “informed decision”

List Approach: Pros and cons for each option

Play it safe: I chose the alternative with the least risk

Take a risk: I chose what would lead to the best outcome, regardless of the risk

Escape catastrophe: I chose what was most likely to avoid the worst possible outcome

Impulsive: Jump to make a choice right away

Procrastinate: Avoid deciding as long as possible

Collective reasoning: Ask for the opinions of people close to me

Why did you decide this way?

What do you believe is the correct way to decide?

What is your most common way to decide?

What have you learned about your decision-making habits?

Do you tend to use a rational or intuitional approach for decision-making?

How do you think you could be practical and magical in your next decision?

- H B Gelatt in 1989 *

Other ways to keep exploring:

Want to keep thinking about your path? Attend the Know Your Skills workshop or Finding Meaningful Work to identify themes by reflecting on your strengths, interests and values in your past experiences. Build on this exercise by attending events hosted by CxED