Have you ever dreamed of having a big impact, your own successful business, or living the ideal life, yet you took no action to make it real? Have you ever stopped yourself from starting a new project or venture because of the criticism and negativity of others? What about feeling like you really really want to achieve something, but you don’t want to fail? If you identified with any of these questions, this post is for you.

The common denominator in all of these questions is that they all deal with uncertainty – the possibility that what we desire will not come to fruition. Think about it. If everything was certain in life, what would be the point of fearing failure? Or fearing the idea our loved ones and ourselves may be right to doubt us? If everything was certain in life, we could simply decide to do something and attain it.

It is not easy to deal with uncertainty, yet I feel like overcoming any negative emotion tied to uncertainty is the key to true freedom. To begin this process, it is important to see uncertainty in a different light. Only then can we see how exciting, thrilling, and fulfilling uncertainty can be for us.

Why is Uncertainty so Scary?

In my post Why is it so Hard to Remain Disciplined?, I explored some ideas that are relevant here. One of them is the idea that whatever option is available in the present moment is valued higher than whatever can happen in the future. Naturally, we are scared to sacrifice luxury, comfort, or stability for something that can potentially be worse in the future. I mean, why would we give up what we have now if we can fail and end up worse than where we currently are?

Another reason uncertainty is so paralyzing is the fact that we want to please others. Our brains are wired for social interaction with whole regions of the brain that were developed just for this specific purpose. When we do something that could potentially risk our financial, emotional or spiritual well-being, others may disagree with our goals for reasons ranging from good intentions to envy and spite. This opposing perception of you and your life creates conflict in your mind. Because we do not want to be in disagreement with others, it can manifest itself as a questioning of your own abilities, skills, and goals.

Which leads into the the third reason why uncertainty is terrifying: your own mind. When we set a goal, ideally it is to reach new heights, obtain new skills, or achieve some sort of material reality that has yet to be achieved. The uncertainty of knowing where to start, whether you will even be able to develop the skills, or even worse, whether you’re deserving of that future can cause you to stop before you’ve even started.

Dealing with uncertainty is the key to true freedom because conquering it will allow you to live life on your terms, dreaming and seeking out the ways to make your dreams a physical reality. If you don’t, your life will be completely unfulfilled because your dreams will only stay in your head. What’s interesting in both cases is that both outcomes are caused by your own mind. The key to this freedom is dangling in front of you at every single waking moment of your life. You are the key that can grant yourself freedom.

Reframing Uncertainty

The first step to increase your freedom is to stop being scared of the uncertainty of not achieving your goals. What if I told you for every possibility of failure, criticism, and opposition, there is an equivalent possibility of success, admiration, and opportunity?

Our minds are naturally inclined to think negatively for our own well-being and safety. But what if you could achieve even greater well-being and comfort by taking a risk? What if that non-zero probability of success comes to materialize? What then? Will you really let the possibility of failure hold you back from the life you can have?! If you have the ability to chase your dreams, why don’t you?! It is the best human right that has been bestowed upon you since birth, and just as it is your right, you are obligated to achieve your maximum potential. You owe it to yourself to see what you can create, who you can impact, and what you can grow through your own free will.

I implore you to reframe your mind. Ignore the naysayers that bring down your aspirations with their negative energy, even if they have good intentions. Know that you are invaluable to this planet, and you deserve the best life you can possibly live, but it is up to you to determine what that life is. Just as your mind has no limit to what it can imagine, so does you life have no limit to what it can physically be. You just have to have faith in yourself, in the universe, and in your abilities that you will figure things out along the way. The process of your transformation while you attain it is a worthwhile endeavor.

You must believe that what you want is more important than what you feel. There is no other way to unchain yourself from the shackles of uncertainty. You have to understand that although the future contains an infinite number of possibilities, you have enough influence to reach out and grab the possibilities that you want. However, you must first accept that uncertainty is a constant in our lives before you can have the courage to face it and seek the possibilities that await you.

If you believe your loved ones are right, if you believe you are not capable, or if you’re scared of failure, your mind will figure out the ways to create a reality that is in agreement with these beliefs. If you believe you deserve fulfillment, the mind will be on the lookout for ways that will further you along the path you need to take.

This is the irony of the mind. Whether you think you can or you can’t -you are absolutely correct. The mind is like a completely obedient companion that is at your mercy – ready to do whatever it is you want to do. The question is, will you allow yourself the freedom for your mind to help?

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