How to Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World that Demands Answers

National Bestseller

"Spectacular." ―Daniel Pink

A guide to dealing with uncertainty at a time when our lives have never felt less certain.

From our careers to our politics to our personal lives, the future is unknown. And yet, our capacity to tolerate this uncertainty is in decline. How to Not Know will help you prepare for and even appreciate the uncertainty that surrounds us.

Through gripping stories of people grappling with big problems without easy answers from an economist trying to predict the next market crash to an island nation reckoning with the existential impact of climate change acclaimed journalist Simone Stolzoff shows how to develop comfort with ambiguity and build tolerance for the unknown.

Blending engrossing storytelling, research, and practical insights, How to Not Know is an essential guide to navigating uncertainty with courage and clarity.

12 illustrations

Simone Stolzoff is a writer and designer from San Francisco. A former design lead at the global innovation firm IDEO, his work has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and many other publications. He is a graduate of Stanford and The University of Pennsylvania.

"A deeply soothing cultural corrective."
― Meaghan O'Connell, Harper's Bazaar

"At a moment when reading the news sometimes feels like playing Russian roulette, this makes for a fascinating, surprisingly uplifting look at the biases that make us want to predict the future and the unexpected benefits of surrendering control."
― Publishers Weekly

"A must-read for our time―wise, compassionate, and deeply human. It will help you find steadiness amid life’s unpredictability and discover the freedom that comes from not having all the answers."
― Lori Gottlieb, New York Times best-selling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

"In an age of phony certainty and performative confidence, Simone Stolzoff offers something radical: permission not to have all the answers. This spectacular, deeply researched book shows that the most successful people and institutions are those who invite doubt and dissent."
― Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Power of Regret and Drive

"How to Not Know is a deeply insightful and refreshingly honest exploration of uncertainty―how it shapes our choices, relationships, and sense of self. Drawing from psychology, history, Zen philosophy, and lived experience, this compelling book is an invitation to find clarity not in certainty, but in curiosity."
― Charles Duhigg, best-selling author of Supercommunicators and The Power of Habit

"It’s rare for a book to be so insightful and narratively compelling. How to Not Know will change the way you approach uncertainty, helping you navigate the unknown with confidence and grace."
― Annie Duke, best-selling author of Thinking In Bets

"Simone Stolzoff makes a convincing case that learning to tolerate uncertainty has become an immensely valuable skill in our current moment of technological and political upheaval."
― Cal Newport, New York Times best-selling author of Slow Productivity and Deep Work

"Clear, grounded, and profound, this book will change how you meet uncertainty."
― Anne-Laure Le Cunff, neuroscientist and author of Tiny Experiments