Summary

The article discusses dealing with uncertainty by embracing challenges as opportunities for growth and reinvention.

Abstract

The author shares a personal story of dealing with multiple life challenges, including a breakup, a failing business due to the pandemic, and financial struggles. They present three ways to handle uncertainty: taking the easy way out by clinging to the familiar, doing nothing and waiting, or using the current losses as a stepping stone to improve and potentially achieve greater success. The author advocates for the latter approach, citing historical examples of successful companies born out of financial crises and emphasizing the importance of mindset and perspective in overcoming adversity.

Opinions

The author believes that taking the easy way out by returning to familiar but unsatisfactory situations is a sign of weakness and lack of courage.
They suggest that inaction in the face of uncertainty is a passive approach that leaves one only able to react rather than act, which is not ideal.
The author holds that challenges should be viewed as opportunities for personal and professional growth, leading to potentially greater future success.
They argue that rock bottom can be a temporary state if one makes a conscious effort to improve, and that current losses can be turned into future gains.
The author quotes Jack Ma, implying that complaints are a sign of opportunities, and encourages a mindset of resilience and optimism in the face of adversity.
They emphasize the importance of continuous learning, observing trends, and maintaining readiness to capitalize on new opportunities.
The author expresses a strong conviction that with faith, patience, and the right mindset, one can overcome current hardships and emerge better off.

The Only Logical Way to Deal With Uncertainty

Where there’s danger, there’s a possibility

The unknown is terrifying, and the world is full of it right now.

My two-year relationship ended recently. My Airbnb business has died due to the pandemic and I’m struggling to pay rent.

It’s hard to breathe, literally, it feels like something is clogging up my nose and lungs.

My mind is stuck worrying about tomorrow and analyzing the past. I’m constantly wondering:`

Should I find a new place to live?

Should I have tried harder to save the relationship?

Should I consider getting her back still?

Should I find long-term tenants or move into my mom’s house?

I don’t know, everything is confusing. Every day, I’m either questioning the choices I made or thinking about what I should do next.

That’s my sad little story, but I know many people are going through similar situations right now. Worn down by the stress of bills, loved ones dying, and the fear of uncertainty.

The way I see it, there are three choices right now, and the one we pick determines our future and more importantly, who we are.

Take the easy way out

I wish none of this had ever happened. I daydream about still having my girlfriend around. Even though the relationship was dying, it would still be better than being alone. Other problems are less intimidating with her by my side.

But of course, it’s wishful thinking. I’m still in denial and scared of the road ahead.

See, if I could start a new relationship right now, I’d say “to hell with my ex.” But I don’t see that happening anytime soon. And the anxiety of staying single is so intense it makes me reminisce about the relationship I used to have, even though it was exhausting. Weak, I know.

But many of us do this. When faced with uncertainty, we choose the less risky route and the mediocre route because we aren’t confident about our future. We’re unsure about getting a new job, moving to a new city, or meeting a new partner, so we rather fall back to what we’re used to.

This isn’t a good approach because it lacks courage.

Don’t do anything

The second choice is to not take action, wait, and see. Who knows what’s going to happen next month or even tomorrow in this bizarre world right now?

What’s going to happen to my company, will it shut down? When can I go back to work? Should I risk infection and work? Should I give up my home?

There are too many questions, and in an unpredictable situation like this, we should sit back and see where it goes before we make a move, as long as we can. Meanwhile making plans for different scenarios, there’s no rush to act just yet.

This puts us in a passive position because we can only react. But the worry is still very much there, that’s why this isn’t the best approach.

Take the challenge and use this loss as a stepping stone

The mentally strong don’t look back, they just keep bashing on. They know all rock bottoms are temporary — as long as we make a conscious effort to improve.

So instead of regretting, I see this as a turning point in my life. Because one of the biggest problems in my relationship was that I felt like I sold myself short. My ex wasn’t bad, but I couldn’t picture myself with her for the rest of my life.

Now is the chance to transition from average to the great. My relationship, home, and income are all at a very minimum right now, I’ve been too comfortable to upgrade.

Look, not knowing isn’t always a bad thing, it’s how we interpret threat that matters. We could look at the protests and pandemic and everything else going on so far to be a disaster. Or, we can look at it as a blessing in disguise. Maybe the pain is exactly the push we needed to make a change in our life.

A number of businesses are going bankrupt or trimming down. But on the same token, the best time to start a new business is right after a financial crisis. Gigantic companies like Facebook, Uber, Paypal, Venmo, Whatsapp, Pinterest, Square, and Groupon were all found during the great recession in 2008. While millions of Americans lost jobs or homes from the tragedy, other people took advantage of it. Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves or whining, this is the best time to reinvent ourselves.

Opportunities lies in the place where the complaints are.

-Jack Ma

So it doesn’t matter what happened. Lost your job? You will find a better one. Divorced? You will find someone better. Get back up, whatever we lost today, we will double or triple it down the road. Have faith and patience.

I’m not sure about you guys, but if I would disappoint myself if I don’t accept the challenge present in front of me right now. This is a golden opportunity, it’ll be hell, especially in the beginning, but we will be okay.

What we can do right now is keep learning, keep observing trends, and stay ready. Then hope for the best. Oh, and the most important thing is the mindset.

Remember, perspective decides the outcome.