The other day I was musing about fear and ambiguity (uncertainty) and a few days later I was browsing Jonathan Fields’ blog and saw that he had written a book on just this topic. Lucky for me it wasn’t checked out at the library.
One of the single greatest determinants of high-level success as an innovator or creator in any realm is the ability to manage and at times even seek out sustained levels of uncertainty, bundled lovingly with risk of loss and exposure to criticism (p. 10).
The book begins with an in-depth exploration of the three psychic horsemen of creation: uncertainty, risk, and exposure to criticism. We’ll uncover why they lead to so much suffering and why, in spite of the havoc they so often wreak, they must remain present. We’ll also look at what happens when you try to snuff them out instead of embracing and even amplifying them (p. 12)
Overall it is good read, though I was left wanting more and feeling that perhaps the concept and packaging were oversold. I was expecting something a little deeper and memorable. I appreciated the section about mindfulness and meditation, something Fields refers to as AT (attention training). Meditation really does make it easier to focus and focus often makes it easier to deal with uncertainty and move through it.
Image by Nicolas Lannuzel via flickr used under a Creative Commons license.
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