You can’t come up with a good line and then write from it, you have to come with the last line and write to it.
Being a positive disrupter often works the same way.
You don’t always get to start with a perfect plan. Instead, you have to define where you’re trying to go, the kind of person you want to be, the kind of life you want to live, and then take steps in that direction, trusting that you’ll figure it out along the way.
Uncertainty is tough.
Most people can only handle it for so long before they start looking for quick answers or retreating to what feels safe. But if you want to be a positive disrupter, someone who shakes things up for the better, who sees both the big and small shifts in life as opportunities, and who steps up to lead others through the unknown, you’ve got to get comfortable carrying uncertainty.
I led the multi-year Disruption Project at Vanderbilt University. In our study, we learned that positive disruptors don’t just put up with uncertainty; they get good at it. They sit with it, work through it, and help others find clarity in the middle of it. They know that feeling uncomfortable doesn’t mean stop. It usually means something important is happening.
So how do you handle ambiguity without losing your way? You stay grounded in what actually matters. That’s why, long before disruption happens, whether it’s a big change, a curveball, or a chance to do something new, you need to get really clear on your values and purpose. Those are your anchors. They keep you steady when everything else is shifting.
And that’s the key. Clarity alone won’t cut it. You also have to believe, really believe, that you will find a way forward. Even when the road ahead isn’t clear. Even when you hit setbacks that make progress feel impossible. It’s not about blind optimism. It’s about trusting that challenges can be tackled, problems can be solved, and success is possible, even if you don’t know how yet.
Uncertainty isn’t going anywhere. But real change happens when you lean into it instead of running from it.
James Patterson, the world’s #1 bestselling author, and I coauthored a book called Disrupt Everything, coming out on September 29, 2025.
But you don’t have to wait?
Advanced copies are available now for your next meeting or event.
Want to bring the message of Disrupt Everything to your team? Connect with my business manager, Michele Lucia, to lock in a date on my schedule and reserve your copies today!
Make it a great day!
-Patrick
