07/27/26
STORY
7 years ago, I left Tesla with no idea of what I was going to do next.
I thought about joining another organization to head up their Learning & Development team.
I considered running a sales team for a mid-sized renewable energy company.
Finally, I came to the realization that starting my own company would be the only path worth pursuing.
I was nervous, scared, worried.
One evening, I met up with a mentor whom I often go to for advice, and I shared my fears with him.
I said,
“There are just so many unknowns. I guess I’m afraid of the unknown.”
He looked at me and smiled.
I’ll never forget what he said next.
“No, you’re not, Jay. You’re not afraid of the unknown.”
I looked at him with confusion.
To me, that’s what this was all about.
Starting a business…
Having to build something from scratch…
Hoping that the business will succeed…
It’s a world of unknowns!
He went on to explain,
“No one is afraid of the unknown. Everything is unknown. You’re afraid of losing the known.”
I thought long and hard about what he said.
He was right.
I realized that there is no certainty around what tomorrow will bring.
There aren’t any “knowns” in this world.
Uncertainty is the only certainty.
The only constant is change.
What we know for sure is that the future is unknown.
So whenever you are taking a risk…
Trying something new…
Embracing a path that few dare to go down…
You are afraid because you’re moving away from what feels safe, comfortable, and “known” to you.
The realization I had that I hope helps you, my friend, is that the “known” is an illusion.
You don’t know for sure if your 9-to-5 job will be there for you tomorrow.
And while it can make you feel safe…
If you’re itching for something new, different, and even risky…
That feeling of safety can cost you a more fulfilling, happy, and successful life.
You have too much to offer to this world to just play it safe.
The clock is ticking.
At the end of your life, you’ll either look back and say,
“I regret holding myself back by playing it safe.”
Or you’ll say,
“I’m so glad that I believed in myself enough to take risks.”
OBSERVATION
Nobel Prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman and his colleague Amos Tversky discovered through their landmark research on prospect theory that the emotional pain of losing something is psychologically about twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining something of equivalent value. We aren’t wired to fear the unknown; we’re wired to protect what we already have. This is why leaving a stable job, a familiar routine, or a comfortable life feels so threatening. It’s not because the future is dangerous, but because our brains register the loss of the familiar far more intensely than the potential of what lies ahead.
(Kahneman, D. & Tversky, A., “Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision Under Risk”, Econometrica, 1979)
STRATEGY
What is one goal you’ve been afraid to pursue?
Maybe there’s too much risk…
Too many variables…
Or it seems too difficult.
Rather than take a huge leap…
What is one small step that you can take this week in that direction?
It can be very small.
If your goal is to start a business, maybe it’s to pick a domain name.
If your goal is to write a book, maybe it’s to spend 20 minutes on an outline.
Whatever it is…
Take one small step this week, then build on it!
Rooting for you,
Jay (inviting you to never live with regrets)
Global keynote speaker
Host of the “Unstuck” podcast
Grateful to have just spent a week down the Jersey Shore with my family.