Finding Opportunity in Uncertainty

Uncertainty and confusion in the external world

Our world feels more uncertain because major events seem more frightening and more unpredictable.

Scale and technology are two factors that act to reinforce this perception.

As the global population grows and becomes more connected, we become more readily and quickly aware of – and susceptible to – events that happen around the world.

Technological advances bring many benefits for humanity but they also bring more sophisticated and destructive weaponry, biological threats and toxic emissions.

The media compete to be first to report on breaking news. Likewise, they compete to provide the most detailed coverage.

Graphic, high definition images and videos are beamed straight to our portable devices, often in real time. And we all know that bad news is the preferred stock in trade of the mainstream news services.

Social media renders each and every one of us a potential reporter, analyst and broadcaster. The truth is more easily and quickly shared … but so is fake and misrepresented news.

The result of all of this is a perceived increase in bad news along with greater confusion about what to believe and what not to. Confusion sows a perception of rising unpredictability and, by association, uncertainty.

What can we do about this?

Well, we all know that technological advances will happen with ever increasing speed. Barring a major calamity, it’s also unlikely that population growth is going to slow markedly anytime soon.

 

A new approach

So we simply have to accept the external environment for what it is and the fact that we have very limited control over it.

 

Focusing inwards

We need to start focusing our attention inwards, where we have full control. We need to embrace an approach to life that brings the certainty of our inner power and creativity to bear in adapting to an increasingly changeable external world.

Integral to this new approach is making the commitment to start a new internal dialogue in which we approach an uncertain world through the lens of opportunity rather than the lens of our worst fears.

Everything I’ve said until now has assumed that uncertainty is, by definition, a negative concept. That’s because we have become conditioned to accept this norm.

But like everything in life, negative and positive are just opposite sides of the same coin.

Imagine a world in which everything was totally certain and predictable and then imagine the downsides of that. I think you will agree that uncertainty also brings many advantages.

 

Fear based self questions

The internal discussion that we engage in with ourselves is characterised by a series of self-questions or “what-ifs”.

Those whose lives are externally focused, or who live believing that they are at the mercy of the unpredictable and uncertain external world, will lie awake at night thinking questions like:

“What if another deadly virus strikes?”
“What if we get swept up in a terrible war?”
“What if the economy tanks?”
“What if I lose my job?”
“What if I can’t pay the bills next month?”
“What if my partner leaves me?”

The power of the subconscious is such that it keeps looking for answers long after we have stopped consciously asking the questions. The result is that we become steadily more and more anxious and unhappy.

 

Redefining uncertainty

The trick is to focus inwardly on what we can control; our attitudes and thought processes and, at the same time, re-define how we think about uncertainty.

When we agree to let go of that over which we have little control, we relieve ourselves of an unnecessary burden. The vacuum left by the burden is then filled with our natural creative juices. We then start to appreciate the flip side of the ‘uncertainty coin’.

 

Opportunity based self questions

We can then act to recast our fear based self questions or what-ifs into opportunity based questions, such as:

“What if I can find a way to meet people’s changing needs?”
“What if I make my own business out of doing what I love?”
“What if I invent a new way to do this?”
“What if I change my routine to something more exciting?”
“What if I sell my house and go travelling?”
“What if I take time out to discover my true purpose?”

Self questions focused on opportunity prime the subconscious to find ways to turn the what-ifs into reality. This amazing ‘perpetual machine’ goes to work this time, to make life more exciting, fulfilling and enjoyable.

 

Sweet dreams

Oh, and the quality of our sleep improves immeasurably … and everyone knows the amazing impact that can have on one’s quality of life.