Uncertainty is part of our life. It’s simply a segment of what motivates us. As much as we’d like to hold onto certainty, too much of a good thing is a burden, and too much certainty equates to boredom.
So we need a level of uncertainty to keep the edge active. This edge is what creates movement toward our goals.
But let’s be totally blunt.
Coronavirus and Covid-19 are beyond simple uncertainty. Here we are in the realm of crisis.
One of the most important aspects of handling uncertainty is normalising to the change. Take for example changes that happen at work. In 2010, when I was working for the largest electricity utility in Australia, we were informed that all jobs would be made redundant in 5 years.
Every staff member received a letter stating that their employment status had changed from full time to impacted.
As expected, everyone panicked. As I led our teams through this change, an interesting situation developed.
After a short period of time, everybody acclimatised to the letter and the change and got back to business as usual.
Uncertainty hit.
They normalised to it.
Life went on.
Covid-19 is different.
The rapidly changing situation and the vapid need of the worldwide media to let us all know of deaths and instances that inspire panic is shredding the ability for you and I to normalise.
Therefore we are at a heightened state of alertness.
And uncertainty.
There are positives to this:
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Increased vigilance of social distancing
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Increased vigilance on personal hygiene
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Increased awareness of the oneness of the world as one-people battle one enemy
There are also negatives:
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Increased panic
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Increased survival responses (think toilet paper)
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Increased need to control anything possible