You Don’t Need to Know .... Yet. You Need to Stay Open.
1 August 2025

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
, Albert Einstein
We all crave answers. Plans. Certainty.
But not knowing everything isn’t weakness. It’s honesty.
Staying open isn’t passive. It’s powerful.
In general I have found that one of the most liberating shifts is this:
You don’t have to know (just yet).
You just have to stay curious a little longer.
When we force clarity too soon, we shrink what could be endless possibilities and very often move to advice giving.
We grab the first answer that feels safe, not the one that feels right.
What I mean when I say “staying open” is:
Listening without rushing to fix - tame your advice monster
Noticing what feels still active, even if it’s unclear
Sitting with the question a little longer, dig deeper, start digging
It’s uncomfortable, for sure - but it’s also where real insight lives.
So if you’re in the fog, the pause, the messy middle …. take a breath.
You’re not stuck. You’re still unfolding.
Certainty is easy.
Curiosity is where transformation begins.
Remember, the path to extraordinary is walked with a thousand small steps, you’re doing great!
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Barry Marshall-Graham
Executive coach and leadership advisor
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