Maggie Jackson Being Uncertain As A Form Of Wakefulness

Maggie Jackson: Being Uncertain as a Form of Wakefulness

August 12, 2025

Maggie Jackson: Being Uncertain as a Form of Wakefulness

Maggie Jackson — August 12, 2025

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In this thought-provoking episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon sits down with Maggie Jackson, acclaimed journalist and author of “Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure.” Together, they delve into the emerging science of uncertainty, discussing how our discomfort with not knowing can actually be a source of growth, creativity, and resilience. Maggie shares practical strategies for cultivating a healthy tolerance for uncertainty, explains the difference between fear and uncertainty, and highlights the power of curiosity, mindfulness, and adaptive expertise in navigating today’s unpredictable world. Whether you struggle with anxiety about the unknown or want to harness uncertainty as a tool for personal and professional development, this conversation offers wisdom and actionable insights for embracing life’s many mysteries.

Note: This interview originally aired on Sounds True One, where these special episodes of Insights at the Edge are available to watch live on video and with exclusive access to Q&As with our guests. Learn more at join.soundstrue.com.

Maggie Jackson is an award-winning author known for her prescient writings on social trends. Her latest book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure, was named a Top 25 Nonfiction Book of 2024 by the Next Big Idea Club led by Malcolm Gladwell, Susan Cain, Dan Pink and Adam Grant. Uncertain also was chosen as a best book of the year by Library Journal, Greater Good magazine, the Artificiality Institute,and the Independent Publishers of New England. A former Boston Globe columnist and past AP foreign correspondent in Asia and Europe, Jackson contributes to major publications including The New York Times. Her acclaimed book Distracted (2nd ed., 2018) sparked a global conversation on the costs of fragmenting our attention. Jackson has advised leading executives, scientists, educators, and change-makers worldwide and her work has been translated into multiple languages. She divides her time between New York and Rhode Island and is an enthusiastic year-round ocean swimmer.

Posted August 12, 2025

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Each week on Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon interviews leading voices in the Mind/Body/Spirit space about a vast spectrum of fascinating ideas. Since 2009, Tami and her guests have been exploring the edge of understanding, nearly 1,000 episodes on the honest work of change, including spiritual discovery, awakening, intuition, purpose, trauma, and grief.

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Maggie Jackson: Being Uncertain as a Form of Wakefulness

Maggie Jackson: Being Uncertain as a Form of Wakefulness

Maggie Jackson — August 12, 2025

900 Episodes and Counting…

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