A Question That Helps
Answering your “what if” questions could help you envision what you will do in different contexts or it could serve to immobilize you.
As I was deciding to leave the “comfort” of a full time job with benefits to start my own business, I asked an endless series of what ifs.
What if I did not earn enough to support us?
What if I did not save enough for retirement?
What if I could not find affordable health insurance?
What if starting my own business introduced too much uncertainly into my daughter’s life?
What if I failed?
What if I didn’t enjoy it?
Rather than being scared, I decided to answer each question. Some answers came from within and some came from lengthy research. As I came to satisfactory conclusions for each question, I became more and more comfortable with what I was going to do. I also knew that I was only operating with the limited amount of information I had at the time.
Momentary Truths
What allowed me to embark on this uncertain journey was my acceptance of what I now call momentary truths. (I recently learned of this term while reading Yearnings, Embracing The Sacred Messiness of Life by Rabbi Irwin Kula.) I knew as the contexts changed and I learned of new information, the answers might change.
I could either be immobilized by the lack of certainty of my momentary truths or go forth with what I knew at the time.
I chose to go forward. The journey has been both daunting and liberating. I have found energy in knowing that I do not have to have absolute certainty in order to continue on my path. As long as I have momentary truths, that is good enough. I can always change course when my reality, truth, changes.
Not Letting The Uncertainty Immobilize You
If you have ADD, you may find that making decisions when faced with many options can be overwhelming. (Is that an understatement?) Answering your “what if” questions with as much information as you have in the moment can help you move forward.
Acknowledging that I would get a job if I did not succeed was an acceptable enough answer to my question to allow me to continue advancing. While I plan to succeed, I know what I will do if I do not. So, each day I act “as if” (ke’ilu in Hebrew).
I act as if I will succeed and continue using my momentary truths to inform my decisions about the next “best” steps. Tomorrow my plan may look different and that is ok.
And, yes, of course, I still have moments of uncertainty…
What are you doing to answer your “what if” questions so that you can make progress toward your goals?