- John Allen Paulos
I was at a networking event with local executives a couple of weeks ago. A normally upbeat and overly positive crowd, they usually answer the question, “How are things going?” with a hearty “Great! Couldn’t be better! We’re so busy, and I’m finding even more opportunities to grow every day,” or some other optimistic exclamation.
This time was different. I was somewhat surprised to find even the most successful, celebrated business people saying things like, “Well, we’re just not sure what’s around the corner. Things are okay for now, but I’m trying to stay ahead of the changes that might be coming our way.” Lots of down faces, shaking heads, and furrowed eyebrows could be seen across the coffee-sipping crowd.
I had my own uncertainties to deal with. And I caught myself in the same slumps these people seemed to be in until I had a realization about how one could live with the insecurity that is becoming part of many peoples’ lives around the globe. Here’s my analogy:
The near-future is like a lidded box in front of you. You don’t know what’s inside of it, but you know that you’ll get to open it sometime within the next year, month, or week. You know that you might not like what’s inside of it, and in fact, if you read the newspapers, listen to newscasters, or watch the stock market numbers, you might actually believe that the odds are heavily in favor of you not liking what’s inside. As long as you think about this kind of outcome, you might feel anxious, be filled with frantic energy or just want to curl up in a ball.
But there’s always the chance that what’s inside of the box might be a good thing. It might even surprise you and be better than you’d ever hoped for. Heck, some people might look at this thing and cringe, but you might call it a “Golden Opportunity.” When you think about that outcome, how do you feel? Perhaps you feel more focused and determined. You may feel like a weight has been lifted. Maybe you have an eager anticipation for what’s coming next.
Here’s the deal: it almost doesn’t matter what’s in the box. What matters is what you do with the things that are right in front of you, right now. And if you feel lousy, thinking about the bad things that might be in the box, you aren’t likely to tackle the few things that you can control. On the other hand, if you feel good, just imagine what you can accomplish!
We are all learning how to live with insecurity. Here are a few steps you can take to accelerate your own learning:
This time was different. I was somewhat surprised to find even the most successful, celebrated business people saying things like, “Well, we’re just not sure what’s around the corner. Things are okay for now, but I’m trying to stay ahead of the changes that might be coming our way.” Lots of down faces, shaking heads, and furrowed eyebrows could be seen across the coffee-sipping crowd.
I had my own uncertainties to deal with. And I caught myself in the same slumps these people seemed to be in until I had a realization about how one could live with the insecurity that is becoming part of many peoples’ lives around the globe. Here’s my analogy:
The near-future is like a lidded box in front of you. You don’t know what’s inside of it, but you know that you’ll get to open it sometime within the next year, month, or week. You know that you might not like what’s inside of it, and in fact, if you read the newspapers, listen to newscasters, or watch the stock market numbers, you might actually believe that the odds are heavily in favor of you not liking what’s inside. As long as you think about this kind of outcome, you might feel anxious, be filled with frantic energy or just want to curl up in a ball.
But there’s always the chance that what’s inside of the box might be a good thing. It might even surprise you and be better than you’d ever hoped for. Heck, some people might look at this thing and cringe, but you might call it a “Golden Opportunity.” When you think about that outcome, how do you feel? Perhaps you feel more focused and determined. You may feel like a weight has been lifted. Maybe you have an eager anticipation for what’s coming next.
Here’s the deal: it almost doesn’t matter what’s in the box. What matters is what you do with the things that are right in front of you, right now. And if you feel lousy, thinking about the bad things that might be in the box, you aren’t likely to tackle the few things that you can control. On the other hand, if you feel good, just imagine what you can accomplish!
We are all learning how to live with insecurity. Here are a few steps you can take to accelerate your own learning:
1. Pay attention to your physical reactions to negative thoughts. Maybe your head hurts, or your stomach feels queasy. When you start to recognize this pattern, you can move to the next step more quickly.
2. When you realize that you have been dwelling on potentially negative outcomes, take a few moments to brainstorm all of the potentially positive outcomes. Choose one that feels particularly uplifting--one that makes you smile--and hold an image of it in your mind throughout the day.
3. Make information your ally. I’m not advocating that you become a news junkie--be discriminating in choosing the information you take in. Gather the information and knowledge that will help you make smart decisions, no matter what you end up finding in the box.
I got to open the box recently. And inside, I found the thing that I did not want to find. At least it wasn’t the thing that I thought I wanted. It was almost the “worst case.” Until I looked at it a little more closely and saw something unusually pleasing. You guessed it...Opportunity! And it gets even better. Because I had been determined to focus on the potential positive outcomes, I had been quite productive and created other opportunities for myself in the mean time. And because I had armed myself with information, I now feel confident in the decisions that I’ll make down the road.
After this experience, I’m actually kind of enjoying this whole uncertainty thing. Here’s to the opportunity that awaits you when you open the box...Cheers!
I got to open the box recently. And inside, I found the thing that I did not want to find. At least it wasn’t the thing that I thought I wanted. It was almost the “worst case.” Until I looked at it a little more closely and saw something unusually pleasing. You guessed it...Opportunity! And it gets even better. Because I had been determined to focus on the potential positive outcomes, I had been quite productive and created other opportunities for myself in the mean time. And because I had armed myself with information, I now feel confident in the decisions that I’ll make down the road.
After this experience, I’m actually kind of enjoying this whole uncertainty thing. Here’s to the opportunity that awaits you when you open the box...Cheers!
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