One certainty in life is that there will be uncertainty.
When we are growing up, we are unsure how we might fit into society. When we are going to school, we are uncertain whether we will be able to graduate. When we are working, we are often unsure how long we will have a job. When we are married, we can wonder if we chose the right person. In Venezuela, where I live, we often wonder whether we will have electricity and water from one moment to the next. In short, uncertainty is our constant companion.
With uncertainty generally one of two things can happen. It can freeze us into inaction, or drive us into action. While circumstances are different, as are their degree of uncertainty, one thing is common in all:
We can overcome uncertainty with action.
Regardless of the situation, or degree of doubt, we can mobilize our inner creativity to determine what kind of action we can take. For example:
If we are unsure of ourselves, we can take measures to gain confidence, by enrolling in martial arts, self-improvement programs, and/or by realizing we are as amazing as any other individual on earth, until we are confident in our abilities.
If we are unsure whether or not we will be able to graduate from school, we can pay better attention in class, develop a sincere interest in what we are studying, and prepare sufficiently for exams. When we do our probabilities of passing and graduating become much greater.
If we are unsure about our job situation, we can strive to learn as much as we can about what we do. That way if there is some problem with our current company, we can transition more easily into a new position, or perhaps start our own venture.
If we are uncertain whether we have married the right person, we can talk to that person, expressing our true feelings and seeking to understand theirs. Not everybody is meant to be with someone “till death do them part.” In some cases it is possible to resolve our issues, in others, the best decision is to make a drastic change.
With uncertainties beyond our control, such as the case with electricity and water service, dealing with them isn’t always so easy since in some cases it can be a matter of life and death. Nevertheless, when basic services fail, leaving us dry and dark; we can focus on those things we can do while services are limited, rather than lamenting those things we cannot do.
Uncertainty can sap our energy and weaken our will. Instead of falling into its vicious trap, which leads us no where, we can ask ourselves one simple question:
What can I do to better understand this doubt?
When we are proactive, taking action to know more about what bothers us, we can gain a wider perspective and better results, than if we simply wait around for something to happen without doing anything. Treat yourself to a few minutes, or perhaps even several hours to contemplate your next move whenever you are next faced with uncertainty. Then with calm, cool, collected confidence, take action to dominate it.
∞ Rob McBride ∞
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