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Giveaway and Interview: Uncertainty by Jonathan Fields

Editor’s Note: The winners for this giveaway have already been chosen. They are:

Several years ago, when I lived in New York City, I developed a love for yoga that started in a studio previously owned by Jonathan Fields. I didn’t know it then, but I would eventually look to Jonathan as a role model, mentor, and friend.

Author of Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love, Jonathan Fields is (in his own words) a dad, husband, New Yorker, author and speaker, serial wellness-industry entrepreneur, recovering S.E.C./mega-firm hedge-fund lawyer, slightly-warped, unusually-stretchy, spiritually-inclined, obsessed with creation, marketing and innovation consultant, venture partner and book-marketing educator.

In his new book Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance, Jonathan helps readers leverage fear and uncertainty for creation and innovation. If you’ve ever felt frustrated, overwhelmed, or paralyzed by risk or the potential for failure, this book is for you.

The Giveaway

To win one of three free autographed copies:

  • Leave a comment on this post.
  • Tweet: RT @tinybuddha Giveaway and Interview: Uncertainty by Jonathan Fields http://bit.ly/qMrfQy

You can enter until midnight PST on Sunday, October 2nd. If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can still enter by completing the first step.

The Interview

1. Your new book is titled: Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance. How do you define brilliance?

To me, brilliance is your ability to bridge the gap between where you are now and where know deep down you have the potential to be. It’s not about someone else labeling you or your creation “brilliant,” it’s entirely personal and visceral.

When you pause, and look inside, are you truly operating on the level that represents your best? Are you fully exploring and embracing your potential? There’s no single objective metric. It’s all about the difference between where you are now and where you know you can be.

2. When did you first realize you wanted to write this book—and what inspired you?

I’ve always been fascinated by what allows a small number of world class creators to act in the face of fear, uncertainty, and doubt and bring amazing things into the world. So, the nugget for the book has been there for a long time. But a few more recent experiences were pretty pivotal.

One was being in NYC during 9-11, a story I share in the trailer for Uncertainty. Another is my lifelong exploration of entrepreneurship and art. Becoming a dad and wanting to understand how to instill this mindset in my daughter is part of it. And, no doubt, my exploration of Eastern philosophy and Buddhism as the founder and a former senior teacher at the yoga studio I founded in NYC played a major role.

But it really started to take form after my last book. I spent a small bit of time talking about reframing fear. That grew into a TEDx talk at Carnegie Mellon and expanded eventually into what became this new book. Truth is, though, I didn’t really know what the book would be about until I started writing and surrendered myself to where it “needed to go.”

3. What are the top three experiences or practices that have increased your tolerance for uncertainty?

So, let’s talk about the word “tolerance.” The research on ambiguity, uncertainty, and creativity uses that word. But I’ve got to admit, I don’t dig it. I think it’s important to frame the experience differently. Tolerance implies it’s something that must be suffered, when, in truth, there are a number of things you can do to help experience it as a signpost of meaning and progress and even leverage is as creative fuel.

Okay, three things that have really helped me embrace the power of uncertainty are:

  • Mindfulness – My daily sitting mindfulness practice is one key to my ability to constantly return to a place of uncertainty as an artist and an entrepreneur. Famed Silicon Valley VC, Randy Komisar, nailed it when he said to me, “equanimity is a powerful muscle to flex when you step out into the ambiguous void.” A mindfulness practice, it turns out, can grow into an extraordinary source of equanimity.
  • Pulse & Refuel – We tend to work crazy hours without breaks, often because we think that’s how you do great work. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. Not only are we more creative when we work in intelligently-timed bursts with refueling breaks, we also get more done in less time and experience the process as far more enjoyable, less stressful, anxious and fearful.
  • Exercise – For decades, we’ve looked as exercise as something we do to look good, lose weight, and maybe even stave off disease and aging. Recent brain research, however, shows certain approaches to exercise can improve mood, problem-solving, critical-thinking and creativity, while reducing stress and anxiety.

Before I started working on Uncertainty, I committed half-heartedly to some of these practices (which is kind of funny considering I used to teach yoga and meditation, lol). But as I went deeper into the research, my eyes opened and I began to commit more fully, especially to the approaches laid out in the studies. The result has been nothing short of transformative, both to my creative process and to my life.

4. You’ve said that “Uncertainty is a signpost that what you’re doing matters.” Can you expand on this?

The only way we can have even a moderate level of certainty about an endeavor before we begin it is if either we’ve done it before or someone else has. At which point, we’re no longer creating something cool, we’re replicating something that’s already been done. And that’s not why we’re here. We’re here to do things that matter. To us, and to the world around us.

That means making choices and taking action when we don’t have perfect information, when we don’t know how it’s going to turn out. When we’re uncertain. In that sense, then, uncertainty, at least in the earlier stages of any great adventure, is a signpost that what you’re looking to bring to life matters. That it’s not derivative. That’s not a guarantee that it’ll work, but at least the quest will be fueled by meaning, rather than mimicry.

5. What is the main message you hope readers take from this book?

Kill the butterflies, you kill the dream. Uncertainty has to be present in the quest to create great art, businesses, and lives. That makes us feel uncomfortable. But the answer isn’t to back away until the feeling eases. Rather, it’s to learn how to experience the feeling differently. To train in the alchemy of fear and harness it as fuel for brilliance.

To learn more about Jonathan Fields, visit him at jonathanfields.com or follow him on Twitter @jonathanfields. You can purchase his book, Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIGfhdaemPI


FTC Disclosure: I receive complimentary books for reviews and interviews on tinybuddha.com, but I am not compensated for writing or obligated to write anything specific. I am an Amazon affiliate, meaning I earn a percentage of all books purchased through the links I provide on this site.

About Lori Deschene

Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.

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Athren Glory

Sounds like a good read, best of luck and thank you for the opportunity.

Hope

You always bring some good recommendation here! Thanks alot! 🙂 count me in in this giveaway thing!

jr cline

Looks like an interesting book.

Danielle

I love how you always bring great books to your reader’s attention. It looks like a good one!

Brent Currie

Sounds like a good book. I’ll have to check out his first one as well.

Liz @ The Sixth Letter

Thanks for the opportunity to win; I could definitely use this book right now as I am looking into a potentially HUGE career change! 

Vicki Casal

I really like his thought about what brilliance is ~ “brilliance is your ability to bridge the gap between where you are now and where know deep down you have the potential to be.”

Joseph Huber

This looks like an awesome read.  I know that action is the bridge between the status quo and where my brilliance is.  I just need to know where the jump start is for that action.  Sometimes I believe that it’s that fear of uncertainty that it keeps it from happening. 

Kyle Burke

I want this book, excited to have subscribed

Andrew Kavanagh

Looks like a wonderful book full of wisdom!

Would love to win!

Rumples Tiltskin

I eagerly read Fields’ “Career Renegade” a couple years ago and it had quite the profound impact on my life. “Uncertainty” has been on my TBR list ever since I knew about it’s publication.  As a daily reader of TB, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to win a copy of this book.  Thanks!

Shanti

It looks like a wonderful book!! I would love to read it!!

Maso1

This is what I wish to live and pass on to my children, to step in rather than to back away from uncertainty. Thank you.

Michelle Stanton

This book looks amazing. It can be used in so many aspects of our lives.

Karenschorno

I always receive something great to ponder  on this blog.

Leigh Bunkin

I am really looking forward to reading this book. Would love to win it.

Hashbaugh

I love this quote from the above interview: “Uncertainty has to be present in the quest to create great art, businesses, and lives. That makes us feel uncomfortable.” So often things that can actually be good for us, or help us grow, do make us feel uncomfortable. Change is not comfortable! I love the ideas that this author is talking about and am looking forward to reading this book!

Kristin

Sounds like great advice. Personally I’m still learning to be “okay” with being uncertain. Interested to hear what else Fields has to say!

Allison Kapitanoff

My husband is an Innovator! (Seriously, that’s his job title)…I think this book would be an EXCELLENT resource for him!

Mandy W

Have always wanted to read this book – looks like an inspiring read!

adriana

Would love to read this little baby. A little love here for the college student 🙂

Mazzysmom

I want this book! The world we live in is so uncertain now. Everyone needs this book to learn how to leverage fear into positive outcomes!

Jillsuz

Just recently discovered Jonathan Fields and can’t wait to read both his books!

Grammyd01

Hi – This sounds like a great book.  Even though I am a Sr. Citizen it will be good reading for me.  I hope it will push me to meditate on a more regular basis too.
Dee

Lindseyc

I would love to win this, I am struggling with fear at the moment over a few things and I’m “stuck” trying to get through it best I can, the book would definitely help!

Mandygphotography

Sounds great! I’m looking forward to reading this one :).

Kate

This book looks amazing! I’m right at that edge between finishing something and going for it and procrastinating more. Sounds like this would be awesome.

Sandy

I could really use this book in my life righ now!

Jenn Tomey

I’m excited to read the book and I’m so thankful for people like Lori and Jonathan…keep up the great work!  You’re both so very inspiring! 😀

Anonymous

I’ve been hearing so much about this book! A must read. I love this line from your interview: “But the answer isn’t to back away until the feeling eases. Rather, it’s to learn how to experience the feeling differently. To train in the alchemy of fear and harness it as fuel for brilliance.”

Kristen_0603

Sounds amazing! I’m looking forward to the book.

Traci

I would love! Love this book. Thanks for sharing.

Stacy

this appeared to me just after I posted about feeling that my entire life is filled with uncertainty at the moment…I am finding myself frozen in fear…struggling to move on…

Internette

I love the way this guy thinks.  The book sounds inspirational.  

Ellen Noble

This book sounds amazing!

Cancersuckskdsj

This book grabbed my attention, I mostly look at things like this as “books for other people” but as I struggle to learn how to live my life after the death of my 12 yr old son, I am starting to realize this might be some of what I need. Maybe the things i considered to be for “other people” my just be for me too.

Marancym

I really need to read this book. It provokes so many thoughts.

Janie

I realize my fear of failure is much too relevant in my life. I will be reading more of Jonathan Fields.

Marisa

Right now my life is completely filled with uncertainty – in every aspect – love, family, home, career. Everything is a blank slate right now and it is very scary. I definitely need some guidance.

Evelyn Alvarez

This book sounds awesome!

Carmen

Please…Please pick me…I deal with anxiety on a daily basis and uncertainty consumes me, my life is a little upside down at the moment! I would love to read this and get another way to overcome these thoughts

Editorjen

I know I have missed a lot of opportunities by being unwilling to take that leap of faith — to deal with the uncertainty and risk that “putting yourself out there” entails. I need a kick in the butt to get me restarted.  🙂  This book sounds like a potential solution to that!

Kirri White

I watched the video of Jonathan on Amazon speaking of his book and 9/11….skin-tingling due to his beautiful vulnerability and realness. 

Jennifer M.

I am very excited to read this book! I struggle with uncertainty and look forward to Jonathan’s fresh ideas!

Nlhawk

Kill the butterfly, kill the dreams……….truer words were not spoken……..somehow that resonates with me.

Coyote

I would truly love a bit of brilliance in my life. I’m ready to break the cycle of uncertainty. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of this book! 

Slynreid

Love your stuff !!! 

K Ellis

I am so glad I didn’t skim through this interview and miss the last paragraph, because that was where I had my “A-ha” moment! The last statement is pure brilliance, Jonathan–“To train in the alchemy of fear and harness it as fuel for brilliance.” Beautifully perfect! Thanks for sharing!

Debbie

Looks like a very useful book to add to our evergrowing personal development library. I believe everyone can gain so much from these types of books.

Jenna

I feel like this book was written with me in mind haha. I would love to read it!