[MTM] How to lead—when you don't know what's next

You don't need the right map. You need the right mindset.

May 13, 2025 | Issue Archive

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Hey there, my friend—

I came across something this week that stopped me in my tracks.

It was from a New York Times interview with Rebecca Winthrop about the future of education:

“The skill that’s going to be most important is how motivated and engaged kids are to learn new things. They’re going to be wayfinders.”
—Rebecca Winthrop

Wayfinders.

That word hit me.

Because it’s not just kids who need to be wayfinders now.

It’s all of us.

We’re living in a time where the maps we’ve relied on no longer apply.

Certainty is gone. Industries are shifting. AI is rewriting the rules.

And we’re being asked to lead, to parent, to create, to adapt…
without knowing what’s coming next.

But here’s the good news:

You don’t need the right map.
You need the right mindset.


THIS ENDS NOW

Identify one habit, belief, or behavior that’s no longer serving you—and let it go.

Clinging to the old way.

It’s natural to want to stick with what worked. But the more we grip the old playbook, the less flexible we become. And in a world that’s constantly shifting, rigidity is risk.

Let go of the need to have it all figured out. Let go of needing to be the expert. Let go of the pressure to do it how it’s always been done.

Because the future doesn’t reward perfection.It rewards adaptability.


THIS MOMENT MATTERS

One simple, actionable step to take to create a ripple effect of change in your life

Become a wayfinder.

Here’s what wayfinders do:

  • They listen more than they speak.
    Because clarity doesn’t always come from control—it comes from presence.
  • They move even when they’re unsure.
    They trust the next step, not the whole staircase.
  • They stay open. Curious. Willing.
    Because when the terrain shifts, the flexible thrive.

This week, ask yourself:

Where am I trying to follow a map that no longer fits?
And what would it look like to navigate by listening, noticing, and adjusting instead?

The old world trained us to be machines: efficient, predictable, consistent.

But the new world? It’s calling for something more human.
More alive.
More awake.

And if you’re guiding a team… raising a child… leading through change—your ability to model adaptability is the gift that keeps on giving.

You don’t need to have all the answers.

You just need to show what it looks like to keep going with an open heart.

Wayfinders don’t wait for clarity.

They move toward it.

Up we go—

P.S. Want to bring this message to your organization or event? Let’s talk about how Choose Your Ending can help your team thrive in the face of uncertainty. Just click here and book a time to chat.


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Mastering the Moments

Resilience Strategist, Keynote Speaker, and author of Mastering the Moments: A Journey of Endings, Beginnings, and the Space in Between, Shawn Ellis is guiding a new wave of resilient leaders to adapt, grow, and emerge stronger from challenges, creating a more fulfilling, human-centric work environment. Shawn is the creator of The Reboot Roadmap, a transformative framework that helps individuals and organizations not only survive challenges, but go Beyond Resilience to thrive and come back better than ever.