There is a vivid difference between trail running and treadmill running. Trail running is inherently uncertain – each step differs, requiring constant physical and mental adjustments. By contrast, treadmill running is predictable and monotonous, with predetermined terrain, time, and speed.
Life is a lot more like trail running.
Uncertainty Shaped America
American history was built on uncertainty. Columbus’s voyage in 1492, colonial settlement, the Revolutionary War, and westward expansion via the Homestead Act all exemplify people embracing the unknown. My 1853 ancestors from Holland undertook a perilous transatlantic journey with a 10% mortality rate, facing subsequent uncertainties in building homesteads on the Great Plains.
These people didn’t know what awaited them. They pressed forward anyway.
The Fear Is Natural
We all have a natural fear of uncertainty rooted in our fight or flight instincts. However, life often unfolds differently than planned.
When I was rejected by Northwestern University, I attended Vanderbilt instead. That decision ultimately led me to my wife, my career, and my life path through circumstances I never could have predicted. Had I gotten into Northwestern, none of that would have happened.
Throughout my career, I changed jobs seven times, each transition representing a leap into unfamiliar territory. I overcame these fears through self-belief and supportive relationships with family and friends.
Embrace the Unknown
Uncertainty, though frightening, creates meaningful lives. My moves from St. Louis to Nashville to Austin, combined with career transitions, yielded marriage, children, friendships, and a fulfilling existence – none of which would have materialized without embracing uncertainty.
The most interesting chapters of your life will be the ones you didn’t plan.
This post is part of a series of letters to my kids. My goal is to reflect on and capture as many life lessons as possible.