Don't Let Fatigue and Confusion Steal Your Dream Or Your Joy

Getting Clarity IS The Most Important Thing You Can Do For Your Well-Being and Business in 2025

It's early 2025 uncertainty looms. The past five years we were coping with uncertainty due to the pandemic. In 2025 we are dealing with the economic uncertainty of trade wars. The Trade Wars have intensified in North America and will soon spread across the world.

Life and business has once again become suddenly more complex, confusing, and challenging for all entrepreneurs.

I believe we will look back at 2025 as a pivot year. So many things have tilted, splintered and changed. It's completely normal as an entrepreneur to feel somewhat confused - to very confused as to what to do to preserve your business, your way of life, and cope with Trade War uncertainty.

In the last five years, I've noticed how much the uncertainty is changing what we think and how we make decisions. Very few of us are immune from the psychological, emotional, and economic fallouts over the last five years. In 2020, it was a pandemic, and in 2025, it’s trade wars.

Naturally, business and life feels confusing and frustrating.

The most important thing we can do is to seek clarity when we feel confused.

Whether you're 16, 60 or 86 everyone has had to adjust to different realities over the course of our lifetime

For me, it began at the age of 16. Since then, I’ve made 21 major pivots, 9 over the course of the last 49 years. Yes, I’ve made 21 significant course corrections. The pandemic was number 22. The trade wars of 2025 are number 23. These last 5 years rank right up there as one of the most challenging, obscure and difficult times to make a course correction, a pivot.

A pivot is an opportunity to respond to life's events by making a course correction.

If you’re like me, you find yourself standing near a cliff of change. You find yourself looking out upon a chasm of maybe change and uncertainty. You find yourself considering a very uncomfortable, but important question, “Now what?” At this point you either shrink and take a step back or lean in with a sense of curiosity and wonder “I wonder what might be possible now?”

Choosing to confront and answer the "Now what?" question will instantly shift your focus from denial to focused intention. This is you saying “There has got to be something more!”

I believe if you're still reading there is a part of you that is saying “Enough! I’ve had enough, it’s time for something to change.”

The uncomfortable truth is you are the one who is going to need to change.

When you say “Enough is Enough!” the Journey of Change Begins

When it comes to making permanent changes we turn a major corner in our attitude when we hear ourselves say “Enough is enough!”

At that moment, change instantly becomes a moral and ethical issue. It instantly transforms your anger and frustration into a compelling moral imperative. Why? Because to not act when we reach our “Enough!” Threshold (ET) would be irresponsible, unethical and unwise.

To NOT act in those “I've had Enough!” moments would not only be immoral, it would be betrayal of your human dignity and your life purpose.

Your life purpose is “To putz around doing whatever you want.” It’s that simple and that complicated.

One thing is certain, to create meaningful change we are the ones who must change direction and course correct if we are stay true to our path of integrity.

Yes, Course Correct, Do NOT Abandon Your Journey

When you get off your trajectory, making a course correction is a way to get back on the right path and living your life purpose doing whatever brings you joy and fulfillment. To get back on the path that points you in the direction of your dream, you must become self-possessed. When you do that staying true to yourself becomes the only choice and the only sure way to safely arrive at your destination.  Please understand that your brain (specifically your Amygdala) may betray you.

Your Brain Has A Tyrant, Its Name Is “Amygdala”

Even the name, Amygdala, that primitive area of the brain sounds like a monsters name. It’s like a name you give something that crawled out of the Black Lagoon.

Your Amygdala lies inside your brain and is involved in the experiencing of emotions. It is part of the limbic system and is thought to play an important role in the processing of fear — although this is an oversimplified perspective on amygdala function.

The Amygdala helps coordinate response to things that happen in your environment, especially those that trigger an emotional response — specifically the emotions of fear and anger. It also shapes our memories, emotions and motivation. It is especially powerful in our reward-related motivations including appetite, negative and unpleasant behaviours for example.

No doubt this is challenging coping with the new daily grind. It's even tougher to imagine what might be possible. We are at the “end of the beginning” of this pandemic. There is a long road ahead. There are so many unknowns including many potential risk factors for the SARS-COV2 virus. The net effect is the pandemic has activated your Amygdala, our primal thinking, survival and protection portion of our brains. One of the most effective things we can do is to shift our focus away from the emotional drama through answering a question which has the potential to provide insight and clarity.

“What do I want to ‘experience’ more of and less of in my life?”

This deceptively simple question is benign, powerful and, if, you choose to genuinely engage the question, will bring you greater awareness. Awareness of the tensions in your life.

Tension Is Your Friend

You don’t have to be a victim to tension, anxiety and drama. In fact, you owe it to yourself to confront and embrace tension. Because tension is your friend. Tension is energy rising in your body that gets your attention. Either you stop breathing (sign of fear) or your breathing quickens (indication of excitement). This energy you sense in our solar plexus, is a set of nerves in the pit of your stomach.

This tension either takes your breath away or cause you to breathe excitedly. While this is happening the energy in your body continues to rise and you begin to feel emotional. When this occurs, humans typically respond in one of three ways.

1. You stuff it down in an attempt to ignore it.

2. You react emotionally.

3. Or, you allow yourself to feel it.

One of the ways you can learn to cope is to notice your breathing.

When you start to pay attention to your breathing, you will be able to notice the energy rising in your body as an early indicator of rising emotions, the first step to managing tension. You can learn to expand this self-awareness.

Your Answers To Coping Lies In Learning To Expand Your Self-Awareness

With all the drama going on in the world, anxiety and unpredictable world events is it any wonder we feel confused and anxious? There is a plethora of uncertainties going on these days and which naturally gives rise to tension. Why do I say naturally? It is normal, albeit uncomfortable sensation when we feel tension.

The answer to confusion, uncertainty or boredom is to get clear about what is going on for you. Clarity is typically realistic, positive and forward focused. It is the energy of excitement pointed toward something meaningful and significant to you. Clarity is always the answer to confusion, frustration and tension.

The Antidote to Confusion and Uncertainty Is C.L.A.R.I.T.Y.

Let me walk you through a pneumonic that reflects my thoughts and reflections on how to tap into your own inner awareness which will bring forth a greater sense of personal clarity. I hope to demonstrate how a person can create certainty and cultivate clarity no matter your circumstances.

The is pneumonic goes like this Confront, Liberty, Action, Resilience, Intention, Tenacity and finally Yield.

C stands for Confront

“You cannot experience what you will not confront.” This was the answer I posed to the Universe a few years ago responding to a question I asked, “Why am I not living the fullness of life that I know is out there for me?

“You cannot experience what you will not **confront**” was the answer. At that moment I instantly realized this was a life changing insight. At that moment I knew I had to confront the pain from the 5-year broken relationship that left me feeling alone, vulnerable and angry. If I was going to be able to enter into another intimate relationship I had to confront my pain, grief and disappointment. I had to let go of my resentment and fear and when I did, I had instant clarity.

It was a relief, effortless and immediate. I let go of all the anger, bitterness and fear and allowed it to back to the nothingness from which it came. You too can gain a greater sense of liberty by confronting your reality.

Remember, that which we avoid, deny or diminish will continue to persist and influence your life because “You cannot experience what you will not confront.” When you desire to change your circumstances you must confront the reality of your circumstances.

If I could share one idea or philosophy that changed my life from the moment I heard it, it is “learn how to see things as they actually are”. I learned this during my study of Buddhism.

When Buddha was asked what his teachings were Buddha said “I teach because you and all beings want to have happiness and want to avoid suffering. I teach how things are.”

I can tell you from my personal experience, when I began to apply myself to see things ‘how they are’ it was liberating. It was a transformational experience because I could suddenly see through the fog of judgement, blame and shame.

No longer was I living accordingly to other people's perceptions. I was now developing the ability to look beyond words, behaviours and perceptions and see what was really going on.

L is for Liberty

You don't have to be a victim of circumstances, you can create a sense of freedom and independence. This is true for one reason, choice. Choice is how we access our liberty and freedom. Getting to a place where you are ready to “choose” can sometimes take us a while, especially when we feel we do not have clarity.

There are so many “choices” it is easy to get caught up in the paradox of choice. We have so many options available to us, it can lead to decision paralysis. It is not unusual to lead to a loss of satisfaction and frustration.

Just remembering that your birthright is one of choice, yes to get to choose, which is the ultimate freedom. Personally, I've found that when I remember the reality that in any given moment I stand at my own personal point of power. I access that power through choice. When I remember that the power to change the quality, pace and direction my life lies in the sublime act of making a choice, it's reminder that my purpose is to “Putz around doing whatever I want.” In any moment, I can select something better. The same is true for you. The only question is will you be able to make choices that actually move your life forward or will you stay stuck on the treadmill of the status quo?

A means Action

Action is what naturally follows once you’ve made a clear and informed choice to experience something better. Think about this, “Choice without action is procrastination.” We procrastinate because we fear the unknown. In the pandemic of 2020, there is a plethora of unknowns and excuses. We are struggling with finding a reasonable middle ground. It is a natural coping strategy to wait for things to get back to normal, in fact, many have elaborate justification stories for maintaining the current habits and routines. We have an inherent need for routine and stability.

Yet, there is no conscious person on the planet that hasn't struggled to cope with making major changes to their lives due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, some people are blissfully unaware of reality, they do everything in their power to cling to their cherished beliefs and sacred cows. They do this because once they stop procrastinating or denying reality and begin to actually take notice of the impacts of their decisions, they are forced into action. They have to stop dreaming their dreams and make a commitment to start living their dreams instead.

It all comes back to commitment. In the fable of the chicken and the pig the fable goes something like this.

A pig and a chicken are walking down the road. The Chicken says: "Hey Pig, I was thinking we should open a restaurant!" Pig replies: "Hm, maybe, what would we call it?" The Chicken responds: "How about 'ham-n-eggs'?" The Pig thinks for a moment and says: "No, thanks. I'd be committed, but you'd only be involved."

When we fail to act in our best interests, we fail ourselves. This is because we are not ready, willing or able to actually live the dream. To actually keep our word to ourselves and follow through we would have to take the first step toward what we want.

We would have to stop simply “having” dreams and begin “living” our dreams instead.

Which requires an entirely new level of personal commitment, action is required.

Action is the most constructive thing we can do when we have clarity and the hardest thing to do when we are confused, anxious or afraid.

If you find yourself standing at the edge of a decision, decide to take one small step. Chose to take some sort of action that will move you toward what you want.

On the other hand, if you find yourself not taking the action, answer this question “What are you clinging into? What's the story you are telling yourself?” Then, figure out why that story holds so much power over you. Then go back to the first letter of this acronym, C for confront.

Confront the story and the reasons you're hanging onto the story and not following through and committing to yourself.

You deserve a full commitment from yourself. When we are unable or unwilling to commit there is a reason. Usually, it is fear, catastrophe thinking or some old inner story we've been telling ourselves.

Confront the story, expose the fallacy and mistaken beliefs.

When you do, you'll feel lighter, regain your integrity and begin to trust yourself to act when needed.

Remember, you are standing at your point of power in every single moment, every day.

You get to exercise your power of choice. Then take appropriate, immediate action to experience manifesting your choice through your action(s).

R stands for Resilience

One of the most toxic and dangerous things that happens to humans is when they become rigid and inflexible. If there is one thing that I've learned and has become crystal clear, is the need to stay flexible.

Mental flexibility requires openness and a willingness to see things as they are.

The moment that we become hardened and rigid, our options narrow and perhaps the opportunity closes.

The world that we experience in 2019 is largely unrecognizable. Sure, the neighbourhoods where we live look the same. And yet, the experiences that our neighbours might be having could be dramatically different.

Perhaps they are struggling to adapting to the new realities brought on by the SARS-COV2 virus. Perhaps they've lost employment, loved ones, maybe they've given up on looking for work or resigned themselves to living on less. They might even see an opportunity despite the pandemic upheaval.

In times of great change there is always opportunity.

Resilience is evident when we can recover quickly by “spotting what might be” and adapting our approach to compensate for the new conditions and realities of 2020.

One thing is certain, resilience in 2020 means staying away from the quick sand of catastrophic thinking. It seems many people are instead, choosing to expecting the best and preparing for the worst. Others are in complete denial.

Why not, turn that upside down, by preparing yourself for the worst possible scenario but also keeping an eye out for the opportunities that lie within it?

I is for Intention

Intention precedes attention which precedes action. If you find yourself struggling to create the experiences you most want, examine your intentions. Your intent is a clear aim to get or experience a specific result. When I have an obvious intent, I am fully and completely committed and ready to invest in myself.

On the other hand, when my intentions are fuzzy the most obvious sign is that I invest my time in just keeping busy. I focus on the easiest tasks and priorities. Sometimes I can find myself feeling bored — a obvious indicator that I am not really committed to much of anything. Certainly not anything that is important enough that it calls me forward and revels my highest and best self.

Commitment is a funny thing. If you ask people if they are “committed” they say something like “Yes.” Or “Absolutely.” Then when you ask them to explain why they are committed and to share their plan they stumble and falter to convince you or themselves of their resolve. Its not that they are bad people, they just are not committed because their intensions are not clear.

When we are fully committed, we are on track, relentlessly applying our attention to the thing that we think will create the result we want.

Then, if the thing I am placing my attention upon fails, I don't quit. I sit back, evaluate and figure out how to fix or improve upon what I just did. That is the type of commitment that flows from a clear, committed intention.

If you are feeling lost, bored or confused set aside some time to get clear about your intentions. Invest yourself in getting clear about what exactly you want and what you are willing to do to get it.

What you focus your time, effort and energy upon is a reflection of what you value. It is a mirror of what’s important to you.

To ensure that you minimize your regrets when you face your final curtain call, it is incumbent upon you to consider what you place your attention upon. Clarify what you value, then live accordingly.

Aligning your actions and activities with your values will create a significant shift in your confidence. This alignment builds an inner congruence and knowledge of your own self-efficacy. Which allows you to open the next door, regardless of uncertainty. You will experience greater clarity, a sense of commitment and excitement about the future.

T stands for Tenacity

It seems like everything I read these days I am being admonished to persist in the face of adversity. It’s everywhere and it's becoming exhausting. It is self-serving when people with a specific agenda attempt to mask it and dress it up.

Tenacity is fascinating to observe. We often observe it first in others. We see it in world-class athletes, entrepreneurs and leaders. I hope, you have someone in your social circle that inspires persistence in you.

In my lifetime, I've faced 21 major setbacks, economic adversity or grief. While each experience was dramatically different, they all had one thing in common. To move beyond the trauma, loss and grief I had to refocus, regroup and get clear about the result I most wanted. Then develop a tenacious striving toward the experience I desired.

Tenacity is not about being rigid. It’s about being determined to figure out how to make something happen. To identify what I need to learn, what I need to change and then act accordingly. The most effective path forward is to figure out what I experience, in terms of essential results. Then affix my focus upon that horizon and steer my way through the various obstacles that arise.

Y stands for Yield

There is a boat load of pandemic advice out there, however, the one metric that matters most is “Am I getting the yield or results I need to feel a sense of joy, self-determination and safety? Are my actions getting me closer to what I most want to experience?”

If your answer is fuzzy or opaque here is a question that will help you rescue yourself from the obscurity of the moment.

“Is what I am currently focused on going to yield the outcomes I most want?”

Secondly, to become unwavering you'll have to ask a second question.

“Is my current focus aligned with my personal values, beliefs, morals and ethics?”

If not, then either adjust your values or adjust your focus to align with your values, beliefs, morals and ethics.

A Personal Perspective

Early in my life, I found myself in situations where people in authority expected certain things from me that were in direct conflict with my values, beliefs, morals or ethics. I learned early, that I had to choose whether I was going to succumb to other peoples expectations or was I going to march to the beat of my drum?

This means I had to learn how to not yield my values, beliefs, morals and ethics on the altar of other people's approval and acceptance. When failed to notice that I hadn’t maintained my values, beliefs, morals and ethics, I was miserable.

Eventually, I'd get to a threshold of frustration and think to myself “It's my life damn it and I'll decide what's right for me.”

It's always challenging and intimidating to stand up for me. Yet each time I do it gets easier. Each time it builds my confidence and personal congruence. All because I was choosing to show up for myself. Remember, when it comes to standing up for what you believe “self-first is not self-ish.

Final Thoughts

We have to find a balance between confronting the realities of the pandemic, processing our grief, sense of loss and still have a cogent vision for our future.

It has taken me a lifetime to remember to, “Never yield my values, beliefs, morals or ethics unless it provides a personal insight or life lesson with an obvious net positive outcome.”

Remember, you always get to choose whether to react or respond. Your initial reaction is not necessarily in your best interest. At a minimum, when you feel an urge to react, pause. Then take some time to reflect on how you wish to respond.

Obviously, if your safety or self-efficacy is at risk, the best choice is to react and protect yourself. Then take the time to reflect and decide how you wish to respond in a way that is in alignment with your values, beliefs, morals and ethics.

Once you learn to defend and make choices based on your values, morals, ethics and beliefs — living your dream becomes clearer, easier and simpler.

The good news is it will change how you feel about yourself **and** how you see yourself. You'll likely find yourself feeling much more confident and comfortable in your body and mind.

I think that's a dream worth pursuing.

What do you think?