What to Do When You Don’t Know What to Do

Early in my career, I was the marketing director for a book publishing company. Because of my workload and the on-going pressure to produce results, I felt overwhelmed. I was certain that it was only a matter of time before my boss discovered that I was in over my head.

This produced uncertainty. I was afraid to act. Instead, I worried and spent an inordinate amount of time thinking through worst-case scenarios—something I am pretty good at.

Frustrated, I went to a wise, older colleague and poured out my soul. He listened patiently, then said something I will never forget:

“Mike, just do the next right thing.”

“That’s it?” I asked.

“Yep. That’s it,” he replied. “You’re over-thinking it. Just do the next right thing. It will be okay.”

That simple concept simultaneously gave me relief and clarity. I have used it time and time again in moments when I have felt overwhelmed and uncertain.

Here are the three steps I take.

1. Forget about the ultimate outcome. The truth is that I probably have less control over the outcome than I think. I can undoubtedly influence it, but I can’t control it. Besides, before I ever get to the final destination, many of the variables will change. Projects and deals have a way of unfolding over time. There will be problems—and resources—I can’t see now.
2. Instead, focus on the next right action. Since worrying about the outcome is unproductive, I try to think about the next actions that will move the project forward. This is far more accessible that something in the distant future. For example, as an author, I can worry about whether or not my book will become a bestseller or I can make sure that I am fully prepped for the interview I have scheduled today.
3. And do something now! This is key. Something is better than nothing. Too often, we think that we have to have clarity about how it will all turn out. In my experience, I rarely have this. But, as I move toward the destination, making course corrections as necessary, I experience clarity. Therefore, it is important to get off the sidelines and into the game.

So if you are in a situation where you feel overwhelmed and don’t know what course to take, just do the next right thing.

Posted on August 24, 2011

• In: Leadership

• www.christianrayflores.com Christian Ray

  And yes, first thing when overwhelmed is to pray until the peace is restored and perspective is gained. With fresh perspective and a clear heart it is time for action. 

• www.christianrayflores.com Christian Ray

  Sorry about the unrelated question Mike. What is this wonderful plugin/platform you use for your email subscription? 

• michaelhyatt.com Michael Hyatt

  I use MailChimp, but all the linkage is custom code.

• www.christianrayflores.com Christian Ray

  Thank you Mike. I’ll look for it. I just think it looks great, way better than feedburner. 

• brevis.me Robert Ewoldt

  Michael, I think #3 is so important.  Many people (myself included, sometimes) are paralyzed by the huge mountain of things to be done, so they don’t do anything.

• brevis.me Robert Ewoldt

  Michael, I want to thank you for a suggestion you made in another comment string (I can’t find it now), that relates to this post.  Part of doing the “next right thing” for me is setting goals to get the little right things done every day–devotions, exercising, reading a chapter in a book every day, etc.

  You suggested a website called www.joesgoals.com, as a dashboard to keep track of these things.  I signed up, and have been using it for a couple of days, and I’m showing some progress in getting the little right things done.

  Thanks.

• michaelhyatt.com Michael Hyatt

  I found an even better one, Robert. It is called irunurun.com. t was created by Travis Dommert, who also reads my blog. His site has a very nice interface and a little different approach that Joe’s Goals.

• www.facebook.com/people/Tina-Shepherd-Gist/1400228004 Tina Shepherd Gist

  Thanks – the timing of this is perfect! I usually just keep going, but there are times you really need to stop think about it and I really like what you said – determine the next RIGHT action. 

• Roweroo

  “Do the right thing”: Tatooing this on my brain–some of the best advice I’ve had all week. Coming from another fellow sufferer of over-cogitation, this encourages me and also gives me a direction in which to head. Thank you.

• www.dwaynes--world.blogspot.com Dwayne Morris

  Take a “time-out” from everything and decompress with a run or crashing on the couch.

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• Rsr777

  I have learned that…not knowing what to do can actually be a GOOD place to be in…I especially remember a time in my life when I had no answers and was AT THE END OF MYSELF…it was when I reached that place…that God stepped in …and did what He does best…WORKED IT OUT…love the fact that HE sees the BIG PICTURE!!!

• kmckee

  Perfect.  Just what I needed to get some clarity around the chaos in my life-the right message at the right time.  

  As always, love your blog, Michael!

• www.onlinesuccessmap.com JaniceGentlesJones

  Very timely.  I’ve been stuck in what I need to do next in my business and as a result have done nothing. Thank you for this advice Michael.  I look forward to meeting you at the Dynamic Communicators Workshop in October.

• michaelhyatt.com Michael Hyatt

  Awesome. Be sure to introduce yourself to me. Thanks.

• www.facebook.com/MelissaMashburnMelsWorld Melissa Scarbrough Mashburn

  Perfect timing…thanks for sharing Michael!

• Carol

  Usually i go into panic mode and do nothing when i don’t know what to do next. That is very frustrating and debilitating. Thanks for this blog. Simple yet extremely illuminating. “The next best thing” is a step i can cope with.

• Moira Gardener

  Very awesome to read all the wonderful comments.

  What do I do when overwhelmed?  Me, I need to take a step back by cleaning. It can be as simple as a desk drawer, a closet, or the whole house. As I clean it seems to purge my brain and create conversation with God in prayer. Then I breathe deeply with a clearer focus and my priorities back in tact; then head back in.  The new piece, thanks to Micheal is to head back into doing “… the next right thing.”

  Thank-you.

• thingsithinkaboutwhenihavetimetothink.blogspot.com/ FennyPenny

  Michael, this article was so timely for me.

  I was reading it from a completely different viewpoint, as a mum who is at a crossroads with my pre-teen duaghter.  There was a night last week, when everything peaked, and I felt at a complete loss as to what to do.

  The therapeutic thing for me to do is to write as I think it through (I blog), and I find it becomes a bit of a ‘conversation’ with God… I start off ranting and confused, but through the processing of it,  God ‘walks’ me through it.  Just after posting my blog, bit.ly/qcWuav , I came across your latest post.

  Yes, I don’t have all the answers, but, as you say, I don’t need to dwell on the final outcome. I just need to put one foot in front of the other,  do the very next thing,  and trust God that He will give me that one step at a time.

  Thank you – your articales always inspire me!

• twitter.com/Kelly_AJohnson Kelly A. Johnson

  Excellent advice for anyone facing any decision.  Looking forward to reading more of your blogs!

  Thank you,
  Kelly

• mujahid kamal

  Do the next right thing , this is what I read. But how do we know what is right ? based on the knowledge we have or via other sources ???????

• michaelhyatt.com Michael Hyatt

  Yes, based on your knowledge of the situation and experience. We may not be able to make a bigger decision, but we usually know the next right one.

• Mitchell Maloney

  This was so awesome.  Many times I’ve been in situations where I felt so out of control that I froze and waited for the worse to happen.  I will try these concepts in the future.

• twitter.com/lauriekr Laurie Reynolds

  I go and make a cuppa and talk to my partner, it never seems quite so daunting when i come back a few minutes later.

• twitter.com/lauriekr Laurie Reynolds

  i go an make a cuppa and talk to my best friend, it never seems so daunting when i return

• Julianna Wu

  Sometimes, my desire of wanting to know the ultimate outcome is so great, the fear of failure is so strong, that I freeze up like a dead fish in the freezer… hoping someone would open the freezer and get me out of this mode of inaction! But in reality, it’s all in the mind. Only I can bring myself out of inaction. 

  Thanks for the article Mike, in moments of not knowing what to do, I’ll return to it from time to time to remind myself of – just do the next right thing.

• themasculinesoul.blogspot.com/ Phil

  Just browsing your blog and ran across this post. I work with lots of young men in ministry that can use this advice. So many get caught in the cross hairs and don’t know what to do.
  Thanks, I will be sharing it lots!

• Dingheng0932

  Thank you to share! Well-written article!
  www.christianlouboutin-cheapest.org/

• www.writemoneyinc.com Dtwrites

  “Just do the next right thing.”  Really liked this point noted in your article.  Sometimes that’s as far ahead as we can see and there are times when even that might not feel so “right”.  During times of uncertainty we gotta trust that there’s something within us that still knows the way (after all, it’s got us this far)!  Enjoyed the article.

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• www.natejones.me Nate Jones

  This post has really been ringing true to me lately.  Thanks for the great advice.  I liked it so much that I actually wrote a little bit about it here:  natejones.me/2011/09/celebrating-baby-steps

• Shaggy

  “i don’t know what to do”

  Say it wasn’t you…alriiiiiight

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• Edileuza Giacomini

  I don’t know what to do, I’m paralyzing, I feel lost. I’m a lawyer but I stopped to work four years ago because family’s care. Now I have time, but I’m not sure what I want to do.

• twitter.com/Judge_Roy Shanti Roy

  I list the next best thing and in most desperate circumstances, pray too. Here I was thinking praying was so rare. But you can’t just pray and expect everything to just fall in place. I look back at my 11 years in a Pentecostal church and the books that I read (specifically about how to pray in detail) around that time to help me. God wants us to take some action too. It’s like my medication; helps with motivation and focus but I’m the one that has take control of what that focus is on.
  I worry too whether my book will be a best seller or if I’ll finish and publish in time for my self-set deadline. I have to just focus on the one chapter, usually for just one week. I have the index list stuck on the wall directly opposite my line of sight and to encourage me I write down the amount of pages I’ve written for each chapter so I can know how much I’ve written overall. 

  In most desperate circumstances, after prayer, I will clear my whole schedule so I will literally have nothing to do but write. It does help to be self-employed. 

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• D065927

  The articles are right . In my lifetime i have found that if you dont have any idea to solve  type problem – something is the only thing to do. If you fail-you have tried. If you acheived very little you have suceeded. NEVER GIVE UP HOPE !

• Bmacstudios

  Thank you for taking time to write this. You just helped me so you are serving your purpose, in fact many. I am having a lot of worries about my wife who I love so much. We recently had a child and ever since I am hiding all around the house just feeling so overwhelmed of this new responsibility of being responsible for the family. I am not working and I am afraid to get back out there and so I am even more scared. My wife is the best woman I’ve ever known and I truly love her. I want to make them all proud. I want to be fun and keep the house fun and positive. Do you have any advice about this in particular? B.M.

• DallasTX

  I cry:-( ALOT!

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• David Taylor

  you must PRAY, PRAY AND PRAY!!!!!!!

• Dong Hung Low

  get high

• Dmpattcae

  “Do the right thing.”  I think I heard that before.

• Tim

  Makes sense but what do you do when no next right thing is apparent. How do you deal with a seemingly insoluable problem?

• theordainedbarista.com/ Barry Hill

  Tim,
  is this a work issue? Do you have a colleague that could help you clarify next steps? bounce ideas off of?

• Gostaphos

  most of the time I’ll try to get my self busy like reading a novel , writing what goes on in my mind in a very confusing form to anyone else than me , getting busy includes doing my duties without creativity which really annoys me , sometimes being a clown is my favorite when am deep overwhelmed or uncertain    

• Homer

  sometimes, cliched responses have deviated from intent and have done more harm than good. every situation is unique. when you have a job and are overwhelmed is different from not having a job [ and not securing any interview slot{s}], no money and you are losing basic necessities……….