How to Move Past "I Don't Know" and Find Clarity

By Coach Onowa

Does your brain ever get stuck in the "I don't know" loop?

➡️ I don’t know what to do next.
➡️ I don’t know if this will work.
➡️ I don’t know what I want.

I’ve been there too. But here’s the thing—“I don’t know” is just a thought. It feels true, but often, it's just our brain keeping us stuck in inaction because it feels safer.

But what if you could gently challenge that thought and open up new possibilities?

How to Shift Out of "I Don’t Know" Thinking

1️⃣ Try Asking: "What If I Did Know?"

💭 If I had to take a guess, what might the answer be?
💭 What’s one small step I could try?

Your brain already has wisdom inside—you just have to give it permission to explore.

2️⃣ Reframe It: "I Don’t Know... Yet."

Adding "...yet" to the end of your thought opens the door for learning and growth.

✔️ I don’t know how to do this... yet.
✔️ I don’t know the next step... yet.

This shift keeps you open to figuring it out instead of shutting down.

3️⃣ Use Marie Forleo’s Mindset: "Everything Is Figureoutable."

🌟 What if everything truly was figureoutable?
🌟 What might that look like for you?

Believing that you will find a way empowers you to take action instead of staying stuck.

4️⃣ Challenge the Fear of "Getting It Wrong"

Sometimes, we say “I don’t know” because we’re afraid to make the wrong choice.

But what if the only way to know the right step is to take any step and learn from it?

🔹 What if moving forward, even imperfectly, is the best way to figure things out?
🔹 What if I can always course-correct later?

Try This Today

Next time your brain offers you “I don’t know”, ask yourself:

✔️ What if I did know?
✔️ What’s one possible answer?
✔️ What’s one small step I could try?

Let yourself be curious, not critical—and see what opens up for you.

I’d love to hear—what’s something you’ve been telling yourself you “don’t know” about? How can you reframe it today? Drop a comment below!

With clarity and curiosity,
Coach Onowa