We’re told to chase the right answer.
The right job.
The right partner.
The right version of ourselves.

What if “right” isn’t singular? What if your truth can change shape as you grow?

The older I get, the more I see how messy, layered, and paradoxical life is. You can be confident and uncertain. Grateful and grieving. Strong and still figuring it out.

That doesn’t make you indecisive. It makes you real.

Research Spotlight: More Than One Right Answer

1. The Paradox of Choice
Psychologist Barry Schwartz found that when people believe there’s only one perfect choice, they often freeze or feel dissatisfied even if they make a good decision.

When we think there’s only one “right” answer, we create unnecessary pressure. Freedom begins when we realize that good enough can also be right.
Source: Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less (2004)

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2. Psychological Flexibility
Research in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) shows that people who can hold multiple, even conflicting, truths about themselves, without rigid judgment, report greater mental health and resilience.

Being able to say “both/and” instead of “either/or” builds strength, not confusion.
Source: Kashdan & Rottenberg, “Psychological Flexibility as a Fundamental Aspect of Health,” Clinical Psychology Review (2010)

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3. The “Multiple Self” Concept
Recent studies suggest we don’t have one fixed self but many “selves” that adapt to context. Each self valid and coherent in its own way. Recognizing that multiplicity fosters openness, adaptability, and compassion.

You can be both sure and uncertain, both strong and scared and still be whole.
Source: Benet-Martínez et al., “The Multiple Self as a Model for Psychological Adaptation,” Frontiers in Psychology (2024)

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4. Pluralism and Multiple Truths
Philosophers of truth argue that “truth” isn’t a single property, that it’s plural. Something can be true in one context or domain but not another, and both can be valid.

In life and leadership, context shapes what’s true—and what works.
Source: Lynch, “Truth as One and Many,” Oxford University Press (2009); Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Truth Pluralism” (2024)

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5. Context Matters in Decision-Making
Cognitive research shows that decisions are context-dependent. The “best” answer often changes with environment, culture, and timing. This echoes why one leadership approach can succeed in tech but not manufacturing.

Wisdom isn’t about finding one answer; it’s about knowing which answer fits where you are.
Source: Gigerenzer, “Adaptive Thinking: Rationality in the Real World,” Oxford University Press (2000)

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Takeaway

Science backs what intuition already knows: growth happens when you stop searching for the answer and start trusting yourself to live into an answer.

Bookshelf – HG People