What to Do When You Have No Idea What You’re Doing

Ugh, how many times have you felt like you had NO clue what you were doing? Whether it was feeling stuck in between things, feeling inspired with where you were, or (the worst, in my opinion) feeling like a complete imposter! The thing is… it’s okay. It’s NORMAL to feel this way and it doesn’t mean you’re less worthy or, again, tricking anyone. You’re good!

What to Do When You Have No Idea What You’re Doing

Guest Post by Maxie McCoy

I’m going to let you in on a big secret: no one really knows what exactly they’re doing. Not even the most successful people that you look up to and admire. Everyone, just like you, is simply trying to figure it all out – their life, their day, their own skill sets, their opinions, their decision making. None of us have been here before! So, of course, most of this is new.

Now, don’t get me wrong, you definitely develop different levels of awareness and assuredness the more you put something into practice. And the more you continue to do. What was new and once scary, quickly becomes easier. But, especially when trying something new or expanding into a different and bigger situation…everyone is just trying to figure it all out.

And here’s why that’s important: because if you can remember that everyone around you is trying to figure it out just like you, you’ll be more likely to try and start and begin something new. And it makes it easier to keep pushing your path forward at any stage because you can release the pressure of perfection and complete expertise. It gives you some breathing room to wiggle your way through the unknown that every single one of us is also facing. No one has this all figured out, we’re all simply sorting it as we go. But we’re going. And that’s what you need to do too, to get unstuck, to get un-lost, to get moving into a more confident version of yourself.

So if you’re avoiding something because you don’t know exactly what you’re doing, or you’re nervous about taking that next bigger step because you’re unsure of yourself or your skills, remember this:

You’re not alone. I have no idea what I’m doing most days. There’s a handful of things that I’m super confident in and feel like I’ve mastered at this point. The other 80% ?? ZERO CLUE. So don’t let yourself feel less than just because you’re new to this phase of your life, or this next chapter. We’re all just trying to figure it all out one step at a time. But you can fiercely believe in yourself, which will be enough to get you through anything.

To act as if. You know when a restaurant owner comes up and starts talking to your table out of the blue, but you’re completely cool with it? You go along with it, talking to this stranger? If we all act like we own the place, even if we’re scared and unsure, everyone will go along with it. If we act like we believe in ourselves, eventually it will start to feel like it, and others will believe in us too. The feeling of assuredness doesn’t always have to come first.

Shadow someone. If you’re scared, unsure, or worried about doing something new, take some time to figure out how to shadow. Seeing someone in action is powerful. And we pick up more than we realize when we do it. Shadowing doesn’t have to always be in real life either, I watch hours and hours of Oprah interviewing people online to see how to ask better questions. Whatever you do when you don’t’ know what you’re doing, find creative ways to educate yourself – IRL or online.

Do it anyways. I promise. If you do it anyway, you’ll figure out so much more in the doing than thinking your way to the solution. Prep is great, studying is wonderful, but at some point, you must do something small about the fact you have no idea what you’re doing.

Whatever road is ahead of you, you’ve got this…uncertainty and all. You know so much more than you think you do!!

These are some of Maxie’s favorite tips from her new book You’re Not Lost. Get the book if you’re trying to find your way!!