We all love a steady, safe, and happy life. Our education, career choices, and family-related decisions are all tuned to make our journey through life comfortable. The problem is that reality itself has other ideas. We hate uncertainty.
The one factor that is guaranteed in life is that nothing is guaranteed. Be prepared for uncertainty—unexpected situations, twists, and turns when you least expect them. How you handle them is what determines your chances of surviving.
Personally, I love to manage and plan. I have been a manager all my life. Whether managing software projects or communities of people, the one common thread is the ability to predict how things could turn out and to be prepared to handle these events when they occur. Given that there is always a chance that unpredictable issues could crop up at the last moment, I keep some leeway in my plans. I always have a Plan B in mind—an option to jump to just in case things do not work out well initially.
The first step is being aware of what I am jumping into or committing myself to. Once I know what needs to be done—be it managing a small task at work or planning to purchase a house—I think of all the possible scenarios that could arise. Once I have a clear path in mind, I follow it to the letter without any deviations. Maybe at times I do tend to overthink, like the time when I packed all my boxes two weeks before I was travelling and drove my family members crazy. But over time they know what to expect from me and try not to overthink, as they know I would have done the thinking for them as well!
The best part of life is its uncertainty. Even the most carefully laid plans will come up against roadblocks that will frustrate you. The way ahead is to expect the unexpected and not let it ruin your day or mental health. When such issues pop up on your journey, take a deep breath, analyse the current status, do a quick check of what you have to face the problem, and then take it one small step at a time—like climbing a ladder. If you climb it one step at a time, you are guaranteed to reach the top. This is how I manage the uncertainties in my life. I have not yet become an expert, but I have not given up learning.