There is little we like more – as human beings – than being sure.
We like being sure of how long it will take us to get to work, where we will park our car and what we will eat for dinner later.
We like to be sure of even the most trivial things. It’s why Wikipedia and IMDB exist.
And while it may not be the only reason we are all addicted to smart phones, it has become among our chief dependencies on such devices. Not sure where to turn on your way to a friend’s house? Need to know if you should grab a jacket? Can’t remember the name of that 90’s one-hit wonder who sang “She’s So High”? The internet is in your pocket providing all the answers at a moment’s notice. (And BTW – his name is Tal Bachman.)
So because of this insistence on the indubitable, life seems particularly unnerving right now.
Weather just destroyed the bulk of two states and several islands and shook the bottom of our continent all within a few weeks. Governments across the world are changing long-term agreements and militaries keep testing weapons “just in case.”
Suddenly it is hard to be sure about anything.
So what do you do? I take notes from Cathy.
I recently ran an obstacle course 5K with a group of friends, one of whom was Cathy – a woman 20 years my senior. I will admit I was a little surprised when I realized that she finished the race in the top half of our team, right alongside a slew of runners half her age. So I was curious to ask her about the experience.
Photo courtesy of Brian Eichenberger
“There was just so much going on, I had no other choice but to focus on what was RIGHT in front of me,” she exclaimed, “I couldn’t worry about anything else. And that was really freeing!”
Obstacles lay ahead in life. They may be big, they may be muddy, they may be no big deal. But there is no way to know. So take the energy needed to worry and focus on the next few feet in front of you. How can you enjoy the right now? How can you make a difference right now? How can you be better to the people in the room with you right now?
And find some people like Cathy with whom to spend time. People who can focus and perform in the moment are inspiring and when you aren’t sure of much, it’s good to be sure that you are surrounded by fighters.