You’re the Adult. Apparently You’re Supposed to Know What You’re Doing

 You’re the Adult. Apparently You’re Supposed to Know What You’re Doing. Your shirt came with washing instructions. Your coffee maker came with a manual. But you? At some point, the world basically said, “You’re an adult now. Best of luck.” And when you’re a capable, high-performing person, there’s an added expectation: you’re supposed to know what to do. You’re the one other people come to for answers. So what happens when you don’t have one?

In this episode of Goals & Grace, Rev. Dr. Juliet Spencer, the Spirit-Led Strategist, launches the new You’re the Adult. Now What? series with a conversation about uncertainty, discernment, and the pressure to make the “right” decision. Why? Because wisdom and certainty are not the same thing. Sometimes faith gives us clarity. Other times, faith gives us the courage to move without it. Drawing from Abraham’s call in Genesis 12 and the image of God’s Word as a lamp to our feet in Psalm 119, Juliet explores what it means to take the next wise step when God hasn’t handed you the five-year strategic plan you were hoping for.

In this episode, you’ll discover: 

• Why high performers can be especially vulnerable to decision paralysis
• The difference between discernment and trying to eliminate uncertainty
• Why gathering more information can eventually become a way of postponing commitment  
• How to separate what you know from what you fear 
• Why choosing what matters most sometimes means giving up something that matters, too
• The difference between being responsible and trying to control the outcome
• Why a difficult outcome doesn’t automatically mean you made the wrong decision  
• How grace changes the way you look at decisions made by an earlier version of yourself
• Three questions to help you move forward when you don’t have absolute certainty

This Week’s Question Where am I demanding certainty when what I really need is courage?

 Your Practice Choose one decision you’ve been circling and divide a page into three sections:

1. What I Know (Write down the facts—not predictions, fears, or worst-case scenarios)
2. What I Fear (Name the worries, assumptions, and possible outcomes that keep pulling you back into uncertainty)
3. What Matters Most (Identify the value you most want this decision to honor)

Then ask yourself: What’s the next wisest step?

 And once you make the decision, give yourself permission to stop reopening the case every fifteen minutes. You don’t have to know everything to move forward. You can trust yourself enough to make the wisest decision you can—and trust God enough to know that if you need to pivot, you won’t have to figure that out alone.

Scripture Genesis 12:1, Psalm 119:105 

Need Help Discerning Your Next Step? If you’re circling an important decision and could use a thoughtful, faith-centered conversation to help you find clarity, schedule a complimentary coaching call with Rev. Dr. Juliet Spencer. Schedule yours TODAY!

Goals & Grace with Rev. Dr. Juliet Spencer, the Spirit-Led Strategist Equipping high-performing Christians to bring together the wisdom of their faith and practical strategy so they can lead and live with greater clarity, courage, and purpose.