Time-tested rules that saved me every time things didn’t go as planned.
Uncertainty is a test of resilience. You want to get out of this state as quickly as possible. It drives you crazy. You don’t know what to do and you freeze.
First, let's separate external uncertainty from internal uncertainty. Although there is no clear boundary between them, it will be easier to figure out how to get out of uncertainty this way.
External Uncertainty
No matter how hard you try to organize your life, it will always be full of uncertainty. This is especially true in our times of rapid change. Someone loses their job and doesn’t know what to do next. Someone hasn’t found their place in this world full of opportunities but not always clear on which one to choose.
External circumstances, whatever they are, are the conditions we have to act in. If you don't like the rain, what do you usually do? Shut yourself in? Most likely, you just take an umbrella. You don’t stop in front of the rain, but continue to act, adapting to the new conditions.
Internal Uncertainty
Internal uncertainty refers to a person’s internal state. This unpleasant internal state is usually caused by external circumstances, such as problems at work, in relationships, etc.
Internal experience is not even about willpower. It’s more about perception. The key factor in overcoming uncertainty is your attitude towards external conditions. You either accept or do not accept the situation. If you cannot accept your uncertain state as it is, you only multiply your anxiety.
Here’s the Difference
External conditions of uncertainty are not the same as your attitude towards them.
Different people act differently in the same conditions. Some thrive where others fall behind. What distinguishes the first from the second? The first keep acting. Despite doubts, the first take an umbrella and keep going towards their goal. Having a goal plays a key role in overcoming uncertainty.
External uncertainty is not the end of the game. It’s a game with different rules. Which rules? You can only understand this by playing, by moving forward.
The answer to the question "How to get out of uncertainty in life?" can be summarized in four steps.
Step 1. Separate Yourself from the External Environment of Uncertainty
You must realize that you are not external circumstances. Conditions of uncertainty do not have power over you. You decide how to relate to external circumstances.
Step 2. Accept External Uncertainty
Accept the fact that you are in uncertain circumstances. It doesn’t matter why you found yourself in conditions of uncertainty: due to a pandemic, political-economic factors, or your own fault. What matters is that it has already happened. Don’t waste your energy on dissatisfaction and resentment.
Step 3. Take Responsibility for Your Life
This step is closely related to accepting the situation as it is. Only by accepting the situation can you take responsibility for your life and move forward. You decide what to do tomorrow. No one forces you to be disappointed or happy. If you give up, it’s your decision. If you keep acting, it’s also your decision.
How to Cope with Uncertainty
I know about uncertainty not from hearsay, but from my own entrepreneurial experience. Being an entrepreneur means being in a state of uncertainty because you don’t know what lies ahead, especially if you’re a beginner. If you’re not ready to embark on a journey into the unknown, you’re not ready to start a startup. Because no one will guarantee you a stable salary, benefits, or a golden parachute.
However, this doesn’t mean you should be afraid of uncertainty. Our whole life is full of unpredictability and uncertainty. You can’t be sure what will happen to you, your country, or the whole world tomorrow or in a year. Terrible wars and the pandemic are very harsh confirmations of uncertainty, which were hard to believe until they happened. But they did happen.
In a sense, our life is just a coincidence. As they say, life happens. So it’s not worth being overly tense and putting all the weight of your doubts on yourself. A more winning behavior is to give this life the best you can. Ask yourself: What’s the best I can do in these conditions?
Step 4. Do Your Best
This step is probably the most important. If you don’t know what to do, do the best you can. This is the golden rule I follow in any uncertain situation.
For example, I scheduled a meeting, but my client canceled it. No big deal, I’ll have the opportunity to prepare better. Or I’ll finally be able to take some time for myself and go to the gym. No energy for the gym? Then I’ll read a useful book. If reading something useful is the best I can do now, well, I’ll read. Put in the effort today so that you have no regrets tomorrow.
Doing your best means celebrating life every day. So, if you don’t know what to do, do the best you can. By giving, you receive. Your feeling of uncertainty will turn into realization and fullness.
Uncertainty can become your freedom if you don’t let fear press on you. Don’t focus on getting out of life’s uncertainty. Focus on the goals you want to achieve.