Steady in the Storm: Finding Confidence in Uncertainty

“Seas are calm and the weather is good… I must be going the right way. Seas are rough, and  the weather is bad… I must be going the wrong way.”

This statement came from Ryan Soave on the Huberman Lab podcast.

Pick that apart a bit, and what does it mean? Too often, this is how we make choices about the direction we’re heading and the decisions we’re facing. If things feel good, we lean in. The second things get uncertain or uncomfortable, we change direction. We let our confidence be dictated by our circumstances.

Soave’s point was simple. This is no way to live. We can’t just react to our external conditions. Sure, we need to pay attention to what’s going on in the world around us, but we can’t let fear and discomfort push us away from our goals.

Want something you can be certain about? Here it is. Uncertainty is not going away.

So, when the seas get rough and the weather gets bad, what do you do?

The first thing to remember is this. Growth doesn’t happen in calm seas. It’s in the adversity—the hard seasons, the storms, the pressure—where we’re stretched, tested, and refined. Smooth sailing may feel good, but it rarely challenges us to grow. The rough waters? That’s where strength is built. That’s where purpose is clarified and resilience is developed. If everything’s easy, you’re likely not growing.

So, when the storm hits, the first thing to do is pause. Don’t panic. Check your heading. Revisit your purpose and the reason you started in the first place. Remember your “why.” When everything outside of you feels chaotic, getting grounded in your internal direction brings clarity. Your circumstances don’t get to decide your purpose—you do.

Next, reframe the discomfort. Instead of seeing resistance as a red flag, see it as a proving ground. Growth always comes with discomfort. That’s not a signal to quit—it’s a signal to lean in. This mindset shift changes everything. When you start seeing the hard things as the right things, your confidence grows. You become unshakeable—not because the storms stop, but because you’ve learned how to stand in them.

Finally, take control of what you can control. You may not be able to change the weather, but you can adjust your sails. You can get rest, seek wise counsel, slow down instead of bailing out, and stay focused on what matters. Storms don’t last forever. The question is whether you’ll endure long enough to see the calm on the other side.

Call to Action

Life right now can feel uncertain and stormy. We get it. When the waves rise and the sky darkens, don’t assume you’re off course. You may be exactly where you’re supposed to be—becoming exactly who you were meant to become. Hold the wheel. Stay the course. The storm isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of something bigger.