Tip 16: Embrace uncertainty

As you have probably gathered by now, it is an uncertain world out there, and this situation is unlikely to change in 2010. Indeed it is probably fair to say that uncertainty is likely to with us for a lot longer. 

Human beings tend not to like uncertainty. One of the key tenants of the post world war two era was the attempt to remove the fear of uncertainty through jobs for life, good final salary pension schemes and a comprehensive welfare state. Much of this of course has eroded over the past 30 years, but most people still crave some sort of stability in their lives. However the 21st century isn’t like this. Risk and uncertainty are now the norms, and we all need to get used to it, and indeed embrace it.

But uncertainty causes stress doesn’t it? Well no, it is actually how we deal with it that causes the stress. In the same way that businesses have to accept and manage risk, we as individuals have to start to learn how deal with uncertainty by embracing it and using it to create new opportunities for ourselves.

By changing attitudes to uncertainty and risk, seeing them as opportunities to be managed rather than threats to be avoided, we can be better prepared for the challenges that lie ahead, and maybe achieve some peace of mind as well.

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