Uncertainty Is the New Normal. Here Are 6 Ways to Make It Work for You.

The people who will do well in 2026 aren’t waiting for things to settle down. They’re the ones taking action now.

If your career has felt unstable in recent years, you’re not imagining it.

There have been more layoffs, rapid advances in AI, and ongoing inflation. The job market, which once valued loyalty and hard work, now seems unpredictable.

According to Monster’s 2026 WorkWatch Report, workers have largely accepted uncertainty as a constant. Only 43% plan to job search this year—down from 93% just twelve months ago. Forty percent expect the job market to get worse, not better. And 49% are worried AI could threaten their job or industry (Monster, 2026 WorkWatch Report).

Meanwhile, more than three-quarters of North American workers (76%) report experiencing some level of burnout, with more than half experiencing moderate to severe burnout (Mind Share Partners, 2025). Over half say job insecurity has a significant impact on their stress (APA, 2025 Work in America Report).

Here’s what no one tells you: uncertainty isn’t going away. It isn’t a phase. It’s the new operating environment. The real question isn’t how to wait it out. It’s how to move forward inside of it.

Here are six strategies that can help.

1. Stop Waiting for the “Right Time.”

Most North Americans who feel stuck in their careers are waiting for something—the economy to improve, the kids to get older, the market to stabilize. But the data shows that the people who succeed aren’t waiting. They’re acting.

A landmark study by MIT and the U.S. Census Bureau analyzed 2.7 million business founders and found that the average age of the most successful entrepreneurs was 45—people who launched during recessions, market shifts, and personal transitions. A 50-year-old founder was 1.8 times more likely to build a top-growth company than a 30-year-old (Azoulay, Jones, Kim, Miranda, American Economic Review, 2020). In Canada, self-employment rebounded sharply through 2024–2025, with two million Canadians now working for themselves and nearly four in ten planning to hire or invest in the coming year (BDC, February 2026).

The right time doesn’t arrive. You choose it.

2. Redefine What “Security” Means

For decades, job security meant one thing: a steady paycheck from a single employer. That definition is outdated. Across North America, one in three workers fears losing their job in 2026 (MyPerfectResume, 2025). According to Pew Research Center, 63% of workers say they are unlikely to look for a new job in the next six months. Two-thirds of North Americans (66%) say business ownership offers more job security than working for someone else. And four in five employees (80%) say owning a business would give them more control over their career, with Millennial employees (86%) most likely to feel this way.

Real security in 2026 isn’t clinging to someone else’s payroll. It’s building something you control.

3. Trade Your Stress for Strategy

Stress without a plan only wears you out. Having a strategy helps you use that energy to move forward.

Currently, 58% of North American workers say their salary isn’t keeping up with inflation. Forty percent are worried about burnout or mental health. And 32% have started a side hustle to help manage (Monster, 2026 WorkWatch Report). These people aren’t giving up. They’re looking for solutions, often without a clear plan.

A Career Ownership Coach® from The Entrepreneur’s Source® helps you turn worry into a clear plan. Career Ownership Coaching is free and confidential, starting with one question: What do you really want? Not what the market or your boss wants, but what you want for your life, finances, family, and future. Your Coach then guides you through a step-by-step process to help you understand your strengths, explore business models that fit your life, and look at opportunities with clarity instead of fear. There’s no sales pitch or pressure—just honest advice from someone who has helped thousands of North Americans at this same point.

4. Get Ahead of AI Instead of Running from It

AI is already part of the workplace. Still, 42% of North American workers don’t use AI at all, and 49% worry it could threaten their jobs (Monster, 2026 WorkWatch Report). Careers often stall in the space between avoiding AI and fearing it.

The TES Generational Career Confidence Survey found that 61% of North Americans believe owning a business is the best way to protect their careers from AI making them obsolete. Among Millennials, that number is 68%. Among Gen Z, it’s 65%.

When you take charge of your career, AI becomes a tool you can use, not something to fear. Career Ownership lets you adopt technology at your own pace and for your own goals. A Career Ownership Coach® helps you find business models where AI is an asset, not a problem, so you can lead change instead of being left behind.

5. Use Your Experience as a Launchpad

One of the cruelest myths about uncertainty is that your years of experience don’t matter anymore. They matter more than ever.

Seven in ten North Americans (70%) believe business ownership provides more opportunities—including career stability and financial growth—than traditional jobs. Millennials (79%) and Gen Z (73%) feel this most strongly. And 83% say owning a business is a viable alternative to a traditional career—with Millennials (87%), Gen X (85%), and Boomers (84%) leading the way (TES Generational Career Confidence Survey).

Your knowledge of an industry, your professional network, your ability to manage people and solve problems—these are exactly the assets that make Career Ownership work. Among business owners surveyed by TES Generational Career Confidence Survey, 41% said starting their business improved their confidence, with Gen X owners reporting the biggest boost at 54%. That confidence doesn’t come from a title on a business card. It comes from finally putting your experience to work for you.

6. Find a Guide Who’s Been There

The biggest mistake North Americans make during uncertain times isn’t staying still. It’s trying to figure everything out on its own.

Nearly half of employees (49%) say ageism keeps them trapped in unsatisfying jobs because they’re afraid to look for something new. According to a report from Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll, 30% of U.S. job seekers say confrontational behavior among employees has increased compared to three years ago. Many of those who left to start their own businesses did not have all the answers when they began. They had someone to guide them.

A Career Ownership Coach® doesn’t try to sell you anything or push you to make a decision. They guide you through a process to help you understand your goals, values, and which business models fit your life. Unlike a recruiter or job board, your Coach focuses only on you—your income needs, lifestyle goals, risk comfort, and timeline. That’s what makes Career Ownership Coaching unique. It’s free, confidential, and has helped tens of thousands of North Americans find clarity in their careers for over 40 years.

Uncertainty Is Not the Enemy. Inaction Is.

The people who will succeed in 2026 aren’t those who get rid of uncertainty. They’re the ones who stop letting uncertainty control their choices.

If you’re tired of waiting for the storm to pass, maybe it’s time to build something that weathers any storm.

Start your free, confidential Career Ownership Coaching conversation today.

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About Your Career Revolution

Our mission is to help individuals explore self-sufficiency as an alternative career.

We help them define their Income, Lifestyle, Wealth, and Equity goals and provide education on the best ways to achieve them. We don’t sell franchises – we help people achieve their dreams of self-sufficiency through business ownership. The approach is different, the experience is different. And it works.

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