Do you need to know that you can live vegan forever before you take one action today?
Last week, we talked about practical uncertainty in a vegan practice: restaurant plans, backup meals, and the possibility of ending up with romaine lettuce and French fries for dinner.
This week, we go one level deeper.
What happens when you ask your future self to guarantee that you will follow through perfectly for the rest of your life?
Michele often hears people say, “I’m not like you. I don’t stick with things. I don’t have discipline.”
That’s usually not even true..
In this episode:
Why commitment is a direction—not a prediction or guarantee
How uncertainty can make behavior change more curious, experimental, and even more fun
The three certainty traps from Simone Stolzoff’s book How to Not Know: comfort, hubris, and control
Why “I could never” is a remarkably confident prediction about a future that has not happened
A little Stoic encouragement from Seneca and Marcus Aurelius
Why “Can I do this forever?” is an unfair test for someone deciding what to eat on Tuesday
How coaching helps us work with the person we actually are instead of waiting to become an imaginary, perfectly disciplined person
Your September Experiment
Complete these three sentences:
For September, I am committed to __________.
Right now I do not need to know __________.
This week, I am going to learn or practice __________.
Keep the commitment meaningful, but make the experiment small enough to give you real information. At the end, you do not need to give yourself a grade. Ask what worked, what did not, and what you would like to try next.
Not knowing is not a problem. It means the answer is still open—and an open answer gives you room to learn, change, and surprise yourself.
You can be serious about your values and curious about your methods. You can be committed without being certain.
Book mentioned:
How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World That Demands Answers by Simone Stolzoff
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For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit veganatanyage.com or email info@micheleolendercoaching.com
Music, Production, and Editing by Charlie Weinshank. For inquiries email: charliewe97@gmail.com Virtual Support Services: https://proadminme.com/
