The Gift of Uncertainty

Leading up to the pandemic last year, things were generally okay in this country-for most people. The economy was hot, unemployment was low and the stock market was on fire. People were generally confident about the future. Then the pandemic hit and everything changed in an instant. Our collective confidence was rocked to the core.

But, maybe that’s the gift of the pandemic. The gift of uncertainty.

Let me explain.

It was the uncertainty that gave us the courage to trounce the brits in the funny hats back in the 1700’s. But ever since we sent them packing we got swagger as a country. It was like we collectively beat up the class bully on the playground in third grade. We started to feel like Alabama football fans. Overconfident, albeit justified.

As a result of this overconfidence, we’ve come to demand certainty in all things. Like Tom Brady demands winning the SuperBowl.

Not only is demanding certainty unreasonable, it’s downright dangerous. We start to embrace self-certainty, as if we are responsible for everything good that happens to us. That’s hardly the way life works.