Lacking clarity? Read this.
From the ON PURPOSE series, where I choose a specific topic to dive deep into, unraveling its layers and discovering ways to embody it as a practice with purpose.
“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.”
― Gilda Radner
I've been noticing a common desire for clarity among people I know and in the broader conversation. It seems like we're always being pushed to have everything figured out, to be certain about our plans.
However, as I transition into my late 20s (hehe), I'm starting to see the value in embracing uncertainty. Rather than viewing it as a problem, I'm beginning to see it as a chance for new opportunities and growth. Uncertainty can spark creativity and open our minds to different perspectives 👀. Rather than feeling the pressure to know now, we can welcome a sense of levity as we ease into the here&now.
So instead of constantly chasing after clarity, perhaps we embrace the ambiguity. In that space of not knowing, there's room for exploration + discovery. It's a reminder that sometimes the best answers come when we're willing to get our hands dirty.
In a world where everyone seems to crave clear answers and a set path, there's something intriguing about embracing uncertainty. It's like realizing that not having all the answers can be an adventure in itself.
These meditations led me to the research archives of The Ambiguity Effect, as we uncover how being okay with not knowing everything can be exactly what we need.
The concept of the ambiguity effect, coined by Daniel Ellsberg in 1961, describes how our decision-making is influenced by how much information we have. Simply put, we tend to avoid options when we feel uncertain about them, preferring the familiar "at least I know what's going to happen" route. Kinda an obvious thing.. right?
This is why servers explain the daily special in mouth-watering detail or why wellness brands aren’t shy to share their glowing 5-star reviews, giving all the details about a product— they're removing any uncertainty to influence your decision.
Our dislike of ambiguity comes from feeling uneasy in uncertain situations. When we encounter something unknown, we tend to worry more about what could go wrong than what could go right, making us avoid ambiguous choices. Sadly, this prevents us from thinking critically, optimistically, and creatively about the unknown.
It’s possible our ancestors evolved to become ambiguity averse as a safety mechanism. Early humans who took risks in daily life, like deciding where to hunt or which berries to eat, might have faced bad outcomes frequently. Eventually, people developed a habit of avoiding uncertainty altogether. However, our natural instinct for survival can sometimes hold us back from taking risks and trying new things.
The ambiguity effect makes us cautious and hesitant when faced with uncertainty, even when taking a chance could lead to exciting opportunities! As we continue to evolve as humans, it's important to move away from always playing it safe and embrace a mindset of learning and growth. This means being open to taking risks, knowing that in today's world, many of them can be taken safely.
Overcoming ambiguity aversion requires self-awareness & practice: it's about becoming more aware of our tendencies and practicing new approaches. By shifting our perspective to uncover hidden uncertainties and staying receptive to new possibilities, we can break free from this bias and feel empowered to learn what could possibly be on the other side of uncertainty.
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given to you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke
I hope this inspires you along your way
xARL
