DAY
181
“Uncertainty is the refuge of hope.”
— Henri Frederic Amiel
Uncertainty doesn’t have a very good connotation, especially when you think about it in relation to your life. It brings up thoughts of doubt, mistrust, and skepticism. You would probably rather have guarantees. If you use uncertainty to describe your situation, it sounds like you don’t believe in yourself.
Your assignment on Day 181 is to consider an alternate definition of uncertainty. What if uncertainty means that there are no limits to the possibilities before you? Your future is uncertain, because it hasn’t been decided yet whether it’s going to be really good, great, or over-the-top fantastic. The sky is the limit to what you can achieve if your future is uncertain. If it’s guaranteed, then you’re stuck with what you’ve got.
Write down in your journal all of the things that have not yet been determined in your life. What is uncertain? Make a list of everything you can think of that’s still up for grabs.
What you have just done is create a list of opportunities. You can do anything you want with that list. Go for it, because nothing is set in stone. You can be wildly successful in any of those areas if you choose to chase the opportunities.
What steps can you take to turn even one uncertainty on that list into a huge opportunity for success? You can use the ambiguity it represents to break all the rules and go for it. Uncertainty is the refuge of hope. The fact that the future is yet to be decided means that you still have an opportunity to shape your success.
DAY
182
“Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.”
— Voltaire
It is unpleasant to be doubtful, but doubt occupies some part of any thinking person’s life. The fact that you have doubts shows that you are considering situations from every angle. You realize that you might not have all the right answers, and you seek further confirmation. There is nothing wrong with that. Doubt often leads to striving for knowledge, and that can ultimately bring you success.
Certainty, on the other hand, is completely absurd. There is almost nothing that you can claim with absolute certainty. For example, you do not know what will happen in the future. You might have a pretty good hunch about things, but you cannot predict any of it without a doubt. If someone is certain about their future, be very wary of this individual. They are either delusional, or they’re pulling your leg.
A feeling of certainty about things can also bring with it a position of close-mindedness. Tina’s grandmother was certain that all people in the acting profession had loose morals, but that was not reality. It was what she guessed to be true, and she refused to think about whether or not she could be wrong. She wouldn’t let doubt concerning her convictions lead her to search for the truth. She wanted to be right, and she didn’t want to think about it too much, so she fabricated a certainty in her mind.
Pay attention to where and when you have doubts today. Let your doubts lead you to new knowledge, and don’t worry if they make you feel uncomfortable for a brief period.
DAY
183
“Without a measureless and perpetual uncertainty, the drama of human life would be destroyed.”
— Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill was right. There would be no drama in life if we didn’t have uncertainty. We don’t know how this book ends, and that’s part of the fun. Can you imagine how boring your life would be if everything was certain? Not only would you miss the surprises in life, but you also wouldn’t have an opportunity to change your destiny.
A few days ago you pondered the idea that your days include thousands of choices, and each one of those choices shapes your destiny. Everyone else in this world is doing the same thing, and that is why our collective future is uncertain. There are billions of variables. The drama of human life unfolds before us moment by moment in all its beauty and tragedy. Do you really want to know how it turns out? You are a lead character in this drama. How is your plot developing?
Uncertainty is something you can count on every day for the rest of your life. You can choose to fret about it and rail against it and wish it wasn’t so, or you can choose to revel in its possibilities and take advantage of the perpetual uncertainty. Have fun with the drama of life. Take healthy risks and see what happens. Try something new and find out where it takes you. Run a little bit longer on the treadmill or get on one of those weird-looking machines that you’ve never used before at the gym and find out which muscles will be sore tomorrow.
Embrace the drama of human life in all of its uncertainty. It is your story.
DAY
184
“The only thing that makes life possible is permanent, intolerable uncertainty; not knowing what comes next.”
— Ursula K. Le Guin
Don was a terrific businessperson. He had great instincts and quite a bit of knowledge in his field, but unfortunately he also had a high level of fear. He couldn’t stand the uncertainty of not knowing how a new job opportunity would turn out. Therefore, Don often passed up new opportunities. He waited for a sure thing to come along, and it never did.
Years later, Don was still in about the same place he started with the firm. He had all of the skills he needed to be promoted, but he found the uncertainty intolerable. When he refused to take risks, he forfeited his chance to reach the level of success that he was capable of obtaining. Don wanted to feel as though he was in control of the outcome at all times, and that severely limited him.
How are you at tolerating uncertainty in your life? Write about your feelings in your journal today. If you can’t stand uncertainty, there are a few things you can do to combat your feelings. First of all, list your fears. What are you afraid of when you don’t know what comes next? Write down your worst fears and get them out in the open. Another thing you can do is take action. You have the power to shape your future by taking positive steps to make the conditions right for a successful outcome. You don’t know what comes next, but you do know how to actively chase your future. Uncertainty is what makes life possible. Learn to embrace uncertainty with wonder and excitement, not dread and fear.
DAY
185
“Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don’t let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity.”
— R.I. Fitzhenry
Do you like a good mystery? You’re living one right now. Your life does not have to be a horror film, though. It can be an exciting mystery, where the twists and turns lead to a successful conclusion. Don’t be scared of uncertainty. You know that the person who freezes with fear in a scary movie usually bites the dust. You don’t want to be that character. Anything can happen. Uncertainty might not lead to your destruction. It might be just the inspiration you are seeking to get to your happy ending.