Resilience in the Unknown

It is in most of our natures, I think, to seek certainty.

My kids beg for me to promise them that we will have a certain treat or trip or dessert, because they know I will try very hard not to break my word. So they attempt to balance out the uncertainty with a promise that is still, despite my best efforts, very human.

And if the events of the past few years have taught us anything, it is that most of our certainties are . . . rarely certainties.

We have to practice moving forward despite uncertainties.

While I am not a poker player, The Biggest Bluff by Maria Konnikova is an excellent book on managing ourselves — and our decisions — when we do not know all of the next steps. “Life is based on making the best decisions you can from information that can never be complete,” she states, and the same is true for business.

“You never can tell whether bad luck may not after all turn out to be good luck. . . .,” says Winston Churchill, quoted by Konnikova. “One must never forget when misfortunes come that it is quite possible they are saving one from something much worse; or that when you make some great mistake, it may very easily serve you better than the best-advised decision.”

The biggest lesson, I think, is not to avoid the hard outcomes or the bad luck, because that is just life.

At Forge, we often discuss “working the process.” Do the work, treat people with integrity and respect, work hard, and let the results take care of themselves. The news will hype you up (rarely does it help you), but following the right habits and work ethic will pan out in the long run.

What I’m trying to instill in my kids (and myself) is resilience in the face of uncertainty.