Become Happier By Embracing Uncertainty
It’s the only way!
The Uncertain Path Usually Leads Toward the Treasure
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take is a popular cliche, that quite frankly can get somewhat annoying to hear. While it’s annoying, it’s in fact painfully true. To get what you want in life, I believe you must repeatedly attack your passion in the face of uncertainty. Doing so is often is the catalyst for the biggest changes in your life.
Let me explain.
Being in my 20s, I can tell you that I face a lot of uncertainty about where life will take me, how my career will pan out, who I might fall in love with and get married to. These things are still up in the air and very unclear to me.
But I see certainty as something we cling to for security and peace of mind. Logically, we like to maximize the chances that the things we attempt will succeed. No one wants to waltz into any endeavor knowing it will be fruitless. It’s not how we work. But what is important is not that we are certain that our efforts will pay off, it’s that we made the effort in the first place.
However, our craving for certainty often stops us from taking the steps necessary to achieve our goals, because our goals can be abstract. And furthermore, what we wish to achieve is personal, making it almost impossible to be certain of a blueprint that will help us reach our desired ends.
Uncertainty has personally slowed me down from pursuing a career in writing. I often ask myself what I’ll write, or if anyone will even care. But I’ve come to realize that these are unimportant details. For I cannot even begin to pursue that career if I’m not already taking the steps necessary, which required that I actually start publishing. When I’m old and looking back at my life, I will be happy I took the steps to at least give my dreams the possibility of becoming a reality.
You should do the same.
The key is that you tried.
We Don’t try Because We are Unwilling to Change
Making the first, second, and even third attempt at our goals or projects might seem daunting, and that makes us uncomfortable. We don’t enjoy doing things that cause us pain and failing repeatedly at something we feel is important to us can be wounding.
Achieving our goals takes work, and that work often requires that we change certain things about ourselves to better align with our desired outcomes. Whether that means managing our time more wisely, networking, or just putting our nose to the grindstone. Part of facing uncertainty is the willingness to embrace change and do the work without knowing that it will pay off.
What can you do?
I can give you a complicated answer, but I won’t because it’s unnecessary. Just keep trying and doing the work you know is necessary to help you achieve your goals.
There is disappointment behind failing, but the greatest disappointment comes from not even giving things a proper go. Just try.
