Dealing with Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt―A Brutal Trio

Exactly as Unexpected―Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt

How has today turned out for you? This week? This year? No, we don’t have to go there. Don’t worry, We’ll keep things to today… or no more than this week.

I’ll be sharing a couple of useful perspectives to help with the unexpected.

I first learned about fear, uncertainty, and doubt back when the big boss at the dotcom I joined was explaining why a bunch of us were about to lose our dream jobs. 

So, what does fear, uncertainty, and doubt have to do with expectations?

For me, I’m struggling today. And depending on when you read this post, you may or may not know what I mean. But after the last 24 hours, I honestly wasn’t expecting to be able to write my post.

And please trust that I’m writing from a perspective that does not matter… it fits from either view. Other than for today, this week, and the whole year for that matter… are playing out exactly as, well… hmmm, as unexpected.

Back to my dotcom experiment for a flash… we had all bought into the narrative, the sky’s the limit! So, we set our expectations accordingly.

Then one day my big boss applied a sales and marketing strategy born of the tech industry to blame consumers for the existence of too much fear, uncertainty, and doubt to reach into their pockets and give us enough of their hard-earned cash to sustain our insanely ridiculous burn-rate.

But that’s how the world works isn’t it?

Life unfolds with uncertainty. It always has and I’m guessing it always will. 

That’s been my experience. As soon as you expect an outcome, the natural forces of the universe begin to craft a plan of their own. Resistance is futile.

So here we go, taking another ride in a year that hadn’t dealt enough blows and frustration for us all.

Fortunatley, I just stumbled across this line in my notes…

Be patient with outcomes.

It’s from a Deepak Chopra post. He shares some fitting advice that I’ll do my best to take to heart as I navigate this week’s craziness…

You don’t have to adopt the attitude that everything happens for a reason in order to see that events often take unexpected turns… Have patience with an unfolding situation and observe how it is moving before you react. Abrupt reactions guided by upset emotions are rarely correct.”

— Deepak Chopra

If you’re more the existentialist kind, you may want to dig into and embrace this from French novelist, Albert Camus. He wrote…

 In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.”

I realized, through it all, that… In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”

Here’s to pushing back, my friend!

Of course, we may need more than a couple of philosophical quotes to calm our hearts and souls, but it’s a start. A pause.

I’m thinking the world’s going to keep telling us to slow down, be patient, and focus on what matters most—until we do.

Things do get better… eventually.

Be untucked.

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