Most people hate and fear uncertainty. It causes such stress and anxiety that we often choose certain surrender over doubt, becoming passive, dependent, addicted, and more anxious than ever. Clinging to the certainties promised by technology and micromanagement only makes things worse, leaving no room for innovation, adaptation, or invention.

Artists live constantly with uncertainty but instead of waiting for the future, they run toward it, with freedom and determination. What can we learn from them to face an increasingly uncertain world?

At a time when organizations of all kinds demand innovation while lamenting the lack of creativity and initiative in their teams, art has never been more essential to our future. We may not all be artists, but we can learn to think like them.

Margaret Heffernan strongly advocates for the vital integration of art into every aspect of our lives, and for the role of artists in guiding us through their endurance, freedom, and tenacity.