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The Kevin Miller Podcast

How To Feel Secure When You Can’t Be Certain w/ Journalist Simone Stolzoff

The Kevin Miller Podcast

Kevin Miller

Health & Fitness, Religion & Spirituality, Social Sciences, Education, How To, Society & Culture, Science, Medicine, Life Sciences, Spirituality, Nutrition, Self-improvement, Mental Health, Relationships

4.51.4K Ratings

🗓️ 11 May 2026

⏱️ 62 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Most everyone knows the story of holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl who wrote the book, Man's Search For Meaning. In the book he shares his journey of finding meaning, purpose, and peace even as a prisoner in a concentration camp. A primary message he had for humanity was that regardless of circumstances, we have the freedom to choose our attitude in any situation. He feels this is what kept him alive while most around him died. But when the time came when Viktor was freed from his prison, he didn't stay there, saying he'd found peace and was good. He left to embrace the comforts and security of freedom. We as humans seem to inherently desire just that, comfort and security. I don't see that changing, and I'm not criticizing this, as I wake most mornings safe and sound in the comforts of my nice home full of all the latest amenities. But like Viktor, I want my core comfort and security to reside within me so that in times of hardship and uncertainty, I'm not devastated. We live in a time where we don't seem to be doing ok if things aren't certain for us. And they can't be. And as time goes on I align with the quote, “The more I learn the less I know,” usually attributed to Albert Einstein or Socrates. I find less and less that I can claim certainty with. But I’m also finding more peace than ever by accepting, not knowing. My guest in this episode is Simone Stolzoff. Simone is an author and journalist who explores big questions about work, meaning, and identity. He is the author of two books: The Good Enough Job and now, and the reason for me inviting him onto the show, he has written the book, How To Not Know: The Value of Uncertainty In a World That Demands Answers. Simone’s work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and on the TED stage, and I found that many of the influential leaders I’ve had on this podcast follow Simone’s research and work. Here we don’t discount our desire for certainty, but dig into how we can remain secure when we are not certain. I’ll add that I’m growing more distrusting of those who claim certainty, and at the point of rejecting the concept. Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevin Go to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Welcome. I'm Kevin Miller. I have conversations with people that help us make better meaning of our lives.

0:07.8

In this episode, how to feel secure when you can't be certain. Most everyone knows a story of Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankel, who wrote the book, Man's Search for Meaning.

0:20.7

In the book, he shares his

0:22.1

journey of finding meaning, purpose, and peace, even as a prisoner in a concentration camp.

0:27.6

A primary message he then had had and has for humanity is that regardless of our circumstances,

0:34.9

we have the freedom to choose our attitude in any situation.

0:38.8

And he feels this is what kept him alive while so many people around him died.

0:43.8

But when the time came when Victor was freed from his prison, he didn't just stay there saying, hey, I found peace, you know, so I'm good.

0:52.7

He left to embrace freedom and the

0:56.3

comforts and security. So we as humans, we seem to inherently desire just that comfort and

1:02.4

security. And I don't see that changing, and I'm sure not criticizing this, as I wake most mornings,

1:08.9

safe and sound in the comforts of my nice home full of the latest amenities.

1:13.9

But like Victor, I do want my core comfort, my core security, really, to reside within me.

1:22.3

So that in times of hardship or uncertainty, I'm not devastated.

1:27.0

So we live in a time where we don't seem to be

1:29.9

doing okay if things aren't certain. And we're grasping for certainty when we can't have it.

1:36.8

It's just literally can't be. As I, as time goes on, I really align with the quote,

1:41.6

the more I learn, the less I know.

1:44.3

It's often attributed to Albert Einstein or Socrates.

1:47.3

I find less and less that I can claim certainty with and in.

1:52.6

But I'm also finding more peace than ever by accepting not knowing.

1:58.3

So there, my guest in this episode is Simone Stolesoff. Simone is an author and journalist who

...

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