Imagine this: nine years ago, I was in Australia, diving into the Great Barrier Reef to earn my SCUBA certification. Before hitting the ocean, we spent days practicing in a pool, ensuring we were prepared for any mishap. On my first ocean dive, we meticulously checked our gear and our buddy’s equipment, then took the plunge into the deep blue. Everything was going smoothly until I suddenly ran out of air at 18 meters (about 60 feet) below the surface.
Running out of air sounds terrifying, right? But thanks to our rigorous training, I knew exactly what to do. I calmly signaled to my buddy, borrowed their spare regulator, and we ascended safely to the surface. This experience taught me the importance of preparation and the value of staying calm in uncertain situations. From that day forward, I always triple-check my air tank.
Years later, I read a book by astronaut Chris Hadfield, famous for his “Space Oddity” video. His insights from space missions are surprisingly applicable to life on Earth, especially when dealing with uncertainty. Astronauts undergo extensive training to handle any conceivable crisis aboard the International Space Station, from fires to equipment failures, all while maintaining their composure.
On Earth, our uncertainties might involve finishing school, navigating relationships, or job security. Science shows that people have varying levels of tolerance for uncertainty. To explore yours, consider this scenario: I offer you two envelopes of money. The first has a 50% chance of winning now, while the second offers a 70% chance but at an unknown future date. Which do you choose?
Logically, the larger reward with a higher chance of success is the better choice. However, if you struggle with uncertainty, you might opt for the immediate, smaller reward. A 2011 study found that individuals with low tolerance for uncertainty often choose immediate but less probable rewards.
Fear of uncertainty can lead to hasty decisions that aren’t in our best interest. We tend to panic and choose the quickest solution to end the stress of uncertainty. Interestingly, studies show that people prefer knowing they will receive a negative outcome, like an electric shock, over being uncertain about it.
After reading Hadfield’s book, I faced my own uncertainty. I left a stable job in Australia, with its free healthcare, to start a business on YouTube halfway around the world. This decision brought extreme ups and downs, but it taught me valuable lessons about handling uncertainty.
In recent years, I’ve dealt with work permits, unexpected medical bills, and sudden job contract terminations. Through these experiences, I’ve learned to manage uncertainty and stay positive. Here are some strategies to help you embrace uncertainty:
Uncertainty is an inevitable part of life. There will be moments when you feel like you’re running out of air, but with practice and planning, you can handle them. Most importantly, learn to appreciate the aspects of life you can control.
Join a SCUBA simulation workshop where you will practice handling unexpected situations underwater. This activity will help you understand the importance of preparation and staying calm in uncertain scenarios. Reflect on how these skills can be applied to other areas of your life.
Participate in a role-playing exercise where you must make decisions under uncertain conditions. You will be presented with scenarios similar to the envelope choice mentioned in the article. Discuss with peers how different levels of uncertainty tolerance affect decision-making.
Engage in a workshop focused on creating contingency plans for various life situations. Learn how to identify controllable factors and develop strategies for potential outcomes. This activity will enhance your ability to manage uncertainty effectively.
Join a book club to read and discuss Chris Hadfield’s “An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth.” Explore how astronauts prepare for uncertainty and draw parallels to your own life. Share insights on how these lessons can be applied to personal and professional challenges.
Attend a mindfulness and stress management session to learn techniques for staying calm in uncertain situations. Practice exercises that help reduce anxiety and improve focus, enabling you to make better decisions when faced with uncertainty.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Nine years ago, I was on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia getting my SCUBA diving certification. First, you dive for a couple of days in a pool before venturing out into the ocean. When it was time for my first ocean dive, we went through our checklist to ensure we had all of our equipment and that it was on properly. We checked our buddy’s equipment, and then… we jumped in!
Over the next five or so minutes, we descended down to 18 meters (about 60 feet), and then… I ran out of air. When preparing for potentially treacherous activities, we always prepare for the worst-case scenario. And when it happens, we know what to do. Running out of air sounds terrifying in hindsight, but it happened after days of training: learning sign language and what to do in worst-case scenarios.
So, I swam over to my buddy, signaled that I had no air, and grabbed their spare regulator. I didn’t panic; I just relied on my training and did what I had been instructed to do. We gradually rose to the surface to the comfort of air, and from that day on, I always triple-check the air in my tank to ensure I’ll make it.
This is a pretty extreme scenario, but one that can happen in many different environments. Fast forward a few years, and I read a book by Chris Hadfield – you might remember him as the astronaut from the amazing Space Oddity video. He offers lessons from space that you can apply to life, especially regarding planning for the unknown and uncertainty. When I was reading it, I didn’t know I was about to enter the most uncertain period of my life.
Now, nobody really likes uncertainty, but we all experience it. Some people have a higher tolerance for uncertainty than others. In the book, Chris Hadfield discusses the extensive training astronauts receive for every conceivable scenario that could go wrong on the International Space Station. For instance, if there was a fire on board, they would know how to respond calmly, isolate different sections of the spacecraft to avoid damage, and extinguish the fire without their heartbeat increasing.
On Earth, our uncertain situations are a bit different: perhaps you’re finishing school, in an uncertain relationship, or worried about losing your job. Science shows we all have different tolerances for uncertainty. (I’m guessing an astronaut’s is very high.) To explore yours, imagine this scenario: I am giving away an envelope of money. If you raise your hand to win this envelope, there’s a 50% chance you could take it home now. I’ll announce the winner today.
But there’s a twist: I’m also giving away a second envelope of money, which has a higher chance of winning more money – a 70% chance of taking it home. However, I’ll be giving it away at a later date, and you have no idea when. So, which envelope do you choose? The 50% chance to win now, or the 70% chance to win later?
For the best outcome, you should always choose the larger reward with the highest chance of receiving it. But if you can’t deal with uncertainty or have a lower tolerance for risk, you’re more likely to choose the smaller reward that you find out about today. A 2011 study found that people with a high intolerance of uncertainty chose the immediate, less probable, and smaller reward.
A fear of uncertainty can lead us to make decisions that aren’t in our best interests. We often react to uncertainty by panicking and taking the fastest or easiest option. This isn’t surprising because uncertainty is stressful, and we just want it to end! Uncertainty can be even more stressful when we know the outcome will be bad.
In another study, people received a small but unpleasant electric shock. In scenarios where they were uncertain about whether they would receive the shock, their stress levels were highest. People would rather know they are going to receive an electric shock than be uncertain about it. I can relate to that now.
Rewind to when I finished reading that book. I was about to leave a stable job with Australia’s science agency, leave a country that offered free healthcare, and start my own business halfway around the world. I wanted to pursue a career on YouTube, which, as I soon realized, is filled with extreme ups and downs and a lot of uncertainty. I took a chance that wasn’t the easiest option.
I’ve had to deal with a lot of uncertainty in recent years – applying for work permits, waiting for unexpected medical bills, and having work contracts end suddenly. But through all of this, I’ve learned how to deal with uncertainty and stay positive. There are insights from both space and Earth that we can all use to embrace uncertainty or at least manage it a little better.
First, it’s important to identify which of our uncertainty worries can be tackled with problem-solving and which are about things we just have no control over. Focusing on what you can change may help you feel more in control. For things that are difficult to control, I tend to think through potential outcomes and form a few contingency plans: If my work contract isn’t renewed, I’ll do X, Y, or Z to deal with it. This helps you prepare for the worst outcomes so you have an action plan, however vague it may be, if they do happen.
The reason I ran out of air while diving was that my instructor handed me an empty tank. Because he gave it to me, I didn’t think to check it, and then my buddy missed the check, and the boat captain also forgot to check my tank. There were four points where this should have been caught, but they all failed. As a result, I only had enough air to descend. Practice was what got me through it.
Uncertainty in our lives is inevitable. There will be situations you thought you could control that you can’t, and times when you feel like you’re running out of air. Practice and planning can help you deal with it, but most importantly, we can learn to appreciate what we can control in life.
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Uncertainty – The state of being unsure about a situation or outcome, often requiring critical thinking to navigate effectively. – In psychological research, uncertainty can influence decision-making processes and lead to increased cognitive load.
Preparation – The process of planning and organizing information or strategies in advance to enhance performance and decision-making. – Effective preparation for a psychological experiment involves thorough literature review and hypothesis formulation.
Tolerance – The ability to accept and endure differences or challenging situations without adverse reactions, often linked to emotional intelligence. – Developing tolerance for ambiguity is crucial in critical thinking, as it allows individuals to consider multiple perspectives.
Decisions – The cognitive process of selecting a course of action from multiple alternatives, often influenced by biases and heuristics. – In psychology, understanding how people make decisions can help improve interventions for better mental health outcomes.
Outcomes – The results or consequences of a particular process or action, often used to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions. – The outcomes of cognitive-behavioral therapy are measured by the reduction in symptoms and improved quality of life.
Resilience – The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties and adapt to challenging circumstances, often studied in the context of stress and coping. – Building resilience is a key focus in positive psychology, aiming to enhance individuals’ ability to thrive despite adversity.
Practice – The repeated exercise or application of a skill or activity to improve proficiency and understanding, crucial in both learning and therapy. – Consistent practice of mindfulness techniques can lead to significant reductions in stress and anxiety levels.
Stress – A psychological and physiological response to perceived challenges or threats, often requiring effective coping strategies. – Chronic stress can have detrimental effects on mental health, making stress management an important area of study in psychology.
Relationships – The connections and interactions between individuals, which can significantly impact psychological well-being and development. – Healthy relationships are associated with better mental health outcomes and increased life satisfaction.
Rewards – Positive reinforcements that encourage the repetition of a behavior, often used in behavioral psychology to shape actions. – In operant conditioning, rewards are used to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior being repeated.
