Uncertainty
Owning Your Narrative in the Age of Uncertainty
I wanted to wait one day to publish my Now New Next newsletter because today would have been my Mom’s 94th birthday. It is a sentimental day and I wanted to pay tribute to her impact on my life.
I found myself wondering how she would interpret our world today. What her advice would be and how I would receive it now as an adult with children who are navigating a different world from the one I grew up in.
This week I was featured on a podcast and it ended with that proverbial question - “What advice would you give your younger 20-something self?”
That prompted me to go to my bookshelf and grab Future Shock (1970), The Third Wave (1981) by Alvin Toffler, and After Shock (a 50-year tribute to Future Shock from the world’s foremost futurists published in 2020) by John Schroeter.
In Future Shock, Alvin Toffler’s first book, he wrote about the disorienting effects of rapid change—a phenomenon that leaves individuals unmoored, grappling with the collision of the present and the future.
Today, we live not just in a time of change, but in a time of uncertainty, where even the direction of change feels unclear. Much of this upheaval is represented in his Third Wave vision where society faces marginalization, cultural barriers, information overload, and the rise of misinformation.
Amid this chaos, one truth remains: those who can adapt, craft, and own their narratives will survive and thrive. Knowing your story—your past, your values, your vision—is no longer a luxury. It is an essential tool for navigating the shifting tides of the future.
Uncertainty isn’t just a force to contend with; it’s a call to action. A call to self-definition. And in this age of uncertainty, your narrative is your anchor, your rudder, and your sail.
NOW: The Realization
In a world of endless choices and relentless change, the past becomes a vital reservoir of meaning. Without a firm grasp of who you are and what you stand for, you risk being swept away by the overwhelming waves of options and disruptions.
As he wrote, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
Your narrative—when owned and understood—becomes the framework for this unlearning and relearning. It reminds you of what is constant within you, even as the world shifts.
Ask yourself:
What does my story tell me about how I’ve faced change in the past?
What values have carried me through moments of upheaval?
The answers will ground you, giving you the clarity needed to move forward with purpose.
NEW: The Experimentation
To own your narrative in this age of uncertainty is to embrace the paradox of the future: we must constantly adapt while remaining rooted in our core selves. This requires a willingness to experiment, to rewrite parts of our story when necessary, and to reimagine our roles in a rapidly evolving society.
I propose an exercise: Imagine your life as a dynamic script rather than a static book.
What would you edit or rewrite based on where you are now?
What new chapter could you begin today?
Experimentation is not about discarding your past but integrating it into a larger vision. It is about learning to navigate uncertainty with the confidence that your story will evolve and that you are the author of that evolution.
NEXT: The Vision
The future, Toffler often said, arrives faster than we expect. Yet it is not something that happens to us—it is something we create. Owning your narrative positions you as an active participant in that creation. It enables you to shape your response to uncertainty and craft a vision that aligns with your deepest values - something I call your “lens”.
Imagine a future where your narrative acts as both compass and blueprint—a guide not just for survival but for flourishing. In this future, you are not defined by the rapid shifts around you but by the intentional choices you make within them - like navigating Class IV rapids.
Ask yourself:
How will my narrative guide me in shaping a future that is uniquely mine?
What story do I want the future to tell about me?
The Payoff: Thriving in the post-Third Wave
We are living in the era Toffler once called the “Third Wave,” a time when knowledge replaces traditional power structures, and individuals must create meaning in a decentralized, fast-moving world.
We are here. The Third Wave is already transitioning to the Fourth Wave with the arrival of AGI and soon GAI. In such an age, owning your narrative is not just about personal identity; it is a survival skill.
In the Now, your story roots you in resilience and clarity.
In the New, it equips you to adapt and learn with intention.
In the Next, it empowers you to build a future that is aligned, purposeful, and wholly yours.
The future will not slow down, nor will uncertainty abate. But with your narrative as your guide, you are not a passive recipient of change. You are its architect.
This is the power of owning your story: it transforms the chaos of the unknown into the raw material for your next chapter. The question is not whether uncertainty will shape you, but how you will use it to shape yourself.
"You've got to think about big things while you're doing small things so that all the small things go in the right direction." ~Alvin Toffler
Follow me on LinkedIn. Or DM at tobin@spatialshift.com for more information.
If you are seeking a way to optimize your story in uncertain times, book a free consultation with me, and let's consider the possibilities.
I am a creator and my craft is to help others find and design their unique form of self-expression. For companies, it is about alignment around a Narrative Northstar and the mission to achieve it. For executives over 45, it is about owning your personal narrative and helping you to own it.
Do you want to fit in or stand out? For that is where the magic exists.
"The future will not slow down, nor will uncertainty abate. But with your narrative as your guide, you are not a passive recipient of change. You are its architect." - this phrase deeply resonated within me. It's empowering! Thank you for yet another nugget of wisdom, Tobin.
Tobin,
Such a rich post with so many truism. If I had only known this when I was coming-of-age in the 80s, what a difference that would have made.
TY for sharing these insights and guidance with to us today as we continue to navigate our ways. I can’t imagine how Toffler had these insights decades ago, but he did. More than I could understand or integrate back in the 80s, but it did inform me that the future was going to be different.
Your work with owning our own narrative is so empowering. TY
p.s. Your images are so compelling! It is a delight to pause and see what is there in each one you (and AI 😉) create!