Ding Dong The Myth Is Dead
The hard work ahead for Problem Solvers of admitting that there is no easy energy transition
Book a 2026 briefing for your leaders to apply the lessons of The Myth and The Moment to your organization’s toughest questions.
Remember the last time you changed your mind about something really important to you? Of course you do—because admitting you were wrong (if only to yourself) about something that matters is deeply emotional and cathartic.
And taking the leap can be scary. To do it, you need emotional intelligence and a lot of courage.
That’s what the Problem Solvers need now. Before they can lead us forward, they must let go of The Myth of an Easy Energy Transition. Not easy! They’ve built careers and identities around The Myth. It’s given them meaning and purpose. So, as reality sets it, abandoning The Myth feels like a betrayal to many Problem Solvers.
Those of us who already knew The Myth was never real now have a choice: dismiss the importance of the reckoning the Problem Solvers must face—or help to guide that reckoning. For me, the answer is obvious: Help the Problem Solvers and we get to shape the future.
In this series about working with the Problem Solvers, I’ll tell you exactly what it takes to understand, support, and empower them. In Part I, “The World According to the Problem Solvers,” we explored what the world looks like from their desk. Today, I walk you through the difficult reckoning these most important stakeholders of yours must face in order to permit, build, and operate a functioning energy system.
Both of these things are true:
The Problem Solvers can no longer rely on The Myth for meaning, direction, and identity.
Letting go of The Myth still feels to them like betrayal—without it, who are they?
You can help resituate them.
What acceptance looks like for the Problem Solvers
In The Myth and The Moment, I describe the spectrum of climate-centric stakeholders, from climate warriors to the climate-curious. Of this spectrum, the climate-hawk Problem Solvers—those most motivated to reduce real emissions—are your most likely ally in the months ahead. They are also the most painfully affected by the dissolution of The Myth. Let’s look at why:
Their work is mission-driven. Their professional identity is tied to achieving measurable climate wins.
They internalized The Myth’s absurd timelines. These stakeholders believed a zero-carbon future was not just possible but imminent.
The fate of the energy transition is moral to them. If the transition fails, that’s a moral failure for these actors—not just an operational one.
It is these qualities that in fact make the climate-hawk Problem Solvers your most important allies, believe it or not. Here’s why:
They are pragmatic idealists. When data contradict belief, they adapt.
They have credibility with other true believers. They can bridge divides that others—like us—cannot.
They are motivated by outcomes, not ideology. This makes them willing to face the hard truths and become our partners in energy realism.
The climate-hawk Problem Solvers are coming around to the unraveling of The Myth—and not because they lost an argument. They are coming around because, in the end, reality (and the real transition) matter more than hope. They are facing
Ambitious timelines that cannot be met
Budgets that don’t pencil out with the technology available
Policies that spark backlash around energy affordability
It’s emotional as much as technical. When you brainstorm every possible solution to meeting a net-zero target and the result is a whiteboard full of crossed-out ideas, it feels personal. Every Problem Solver is privately asking, “What now?”
Seize the day
The newly converted can become your greatest allies—if you help them through the reckoning.
That means you have some work to do:
Build rooms for realism. We can create coalitions, convenings, and private conversations where the truth is told.
Offer truth without humiliation. Now is not the time for a victory lap.
Share the stories of others. Help narrate how peers let go of The Myth—you can start with California—and what came next.
We know what it’s like to be on the outs. Now it’s our turn to lead with grace.
Making the most of The Myth and The Moment
When everything’s going your way, what’s your next move? Consider these steps:
Forward this email to your colleagues wrestling with the expectations left behind by The Myth.
Order The Myth and The Moment to understand how beliefs shape today’s energy decision-makers—and how to help them lead with realism.
If this was forwarded to you, please subscribe! If you’re a paying member, thank you for supporting my work!
I ❤️ you! Heart me and my work below. It’s the most important way to help my work reach a broader audience.
Next up: “Getting the Call Right”—how to help the Problem Solvers tell the truth about trade-offs and timeframes (yes, that would be the Three Ts of Energy Realism!).
To offering a hand up,
Tisha
