313: Can You Be Committed Without Being Certain? episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 1, 2026 · 31 MIN

313: Can You Be Committed Without Being Certain?

from Vedge Your Best, Vegan Ideas for Everyone At Any Age · host Michele Olender

Do you need to know that you can live vegan forever before you take one action today?Last week, we talked about practical uncertainty in a vegan practice: restaurant plans, backup meals, and the possibility of ending up with romaine lettuce and French fries for dinner.This week, we go one level deeper.What happens when you ask your future self to guarantee that you will follow through perfectly for the rest of your life?Michele often hears people say, “I’m not like you. I don’t stick with things. I don’t have discipline.”That’s usually not even true..In this episode:Why commitment is a direction—not a prediction or guaranteeHow uncertainty can make behavior change more curious, experimental, and even more funThe three certainty traps from Simone Stolzoff’s book How to Not Know: comfort, hubris, and controlWhy “I could never” is a remarkably confident prediction about a future that has not happenedA little Stoic encouragement from Seneca and Marcus AureliusWhy “Can I do this forever?” is an unfair test for someone deciding what to eat on TuesdayHow coaching helps us work with the person we actually are instead of waiting to become an imaginary, perfectly disciplined personYour September ExperimentComplete these three sentences:For September, I am committed to __________.Right now I do not need to know __________.This week, I am going to learn or practice __________.Keep the commitment meaningful, but make the experiment small enough to give you real information. At the end, you do not need to give yourself a grade. Ask what worked, what did not, and what you would like to try next.Not knowing is not a problem. It means the answer is still open—and an open answer gives you room to learn, change, and surprise yourself.You can be serious about your values and curious about your methods.  You can be committed without being certain.Book mentioned:How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World That Demands Answers by Simone StolzoffSubscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠veganatanyage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music, Production, and Editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Charlie Weinshank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For inquiries email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Virtual Support Services: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://proadminme.com/⁠

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