What Can We Learn By Equally Embracing Both Certainty And Uncertainty?

What Can We Learn By Equally Embracing Both Certainty And Uncertainty?

“In terms of the game theory, we might say the universe is so constituted as to maximize play. The best games are not those in which all goes smoothly and steadily toward a certain conclusion, but those in which the outcome is always in doubt. Similarly, the geometry of life is designed to keep us at the point of maximum tension between certainty and uncertainty, order and chaos. Every important call is a close one. We survive and evolve by the skin of our teeth. We really wouldn’t want it any other way.”
-George Leonard on Certainty and Uncertainty

The search criteria for today’s message was “Uncertainty.” Why? Because the outcome of a “Really Big” football game is uncertain at best, even when all of the analysts and announcers believe they already know the outcome…

And, because at best, life itself is also uncertain, our work is uncertain, day to day is uncertain. We lull ourselves into a false sense of security in order to make sense of everything. If life was so uncertain that we couldn’t believe in the possibility of the future, or even just the next day, then many of us might simply find it easier to give up…

The cancer patients I work with as a support group facilitator have taught me so much. Their ability to believe and persist in the face of immeasurable uncertainty gives me the strength to believe completely and persist as well. They have shown me through their actions that each day is a gift to be revered and appreciated. Their tireless never give up attitude is the cornerstone of the foundation for my own beliefs.

If there was no HOPE, I mean after all, without hope, what would be the point? And whether you believe it is the Universe that conspires to maximize play, or the simple nature of life itself with all of its struggles, challenges, opportunities, difficulties, and potential, one thing is for sure, the outcome will never be certain. We can do our best to mitigate risk, but the truth is there are too many variables, it’s impossible to predict absolute outcomes. Risk is inevitable, life is uncertain…

So then, what can we do as individuals? First, we can acknowledge there are no guarantees in life. Second, we can accept that the geometry of life was indeed designed to keep us at a point of maximum tension as suggested by Mr. Leonard. Third, we can take control over the one and only thing we have and will ever have control of, our thinking. And finally, we can make a commitment to always take action, but only after ample consideration of the next, first step. There is ALWAYS, a next first step among the many steps required to seek a resolution. Take that “FIRST” step!!!

When facing uncertainty, adversity, difficulty, or opportunity, our level of preparedness will have more to do with how things turn out, than any other contributing factor. It is our individual response or reaction to an uncertain circumstance that leads to our eventual outcome. We survive and evolve when we embrace uncertainty as a way of life and best prepare ourselves to rationally evaluate all available options. In common terms, this is simply stated as; Think, before you act…

If we fail to think before we act, then we aren’t acting at all, but instead, we are reacting to circumstances and giving up control in that moment of the only faculty that separates us from the animals of the earth. Our ability to both think and reason is why we can make sense of the paradox that exist between certainty and uncertainty…

Believe Completely, Dare Greatly, Achieve Accordingly!

Bobby-

P.S.- Make Today an “Incredibly” Amazing Day!

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