“You create your life, and you can recreate it, too. In times of economic downturn and uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to look deep inside yourself to fathom the sort of life you really want to lead and the talents and passions that can make that possible.”

Ken Robinson

Last year around this time, I was racking my brain around what to write about for an admissions essay. If my memory serves correctly, it was for Stanford. And no, I didn’t get in. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have gotten into blogging in the first place. But here’s what I wrote during that time:

The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning. (100 to 250 words)

“So, what do we do?” The boss said expectantly.

Silence echoes throughout the room as each of us was either too frightened to be wrong, or too foolish not to try anyway. Undoubtedly, we were all uncertain. And who could blame us? With the fate of an entire constituency at hand, there was little room for error. In here, the ideas we regularly put forth can either enhance or worsen the welfare of some 10,000 people. What was decided on in this room would have to be skillfully executed – without compromise.

As I became enveloped by the quietness, I inadvertently entered the inner guts of my mind. And in doing so, I came to the realization that uncertainty is what makes life so interesting.

It’s the thing that keeps mankind on the verge of discovery, coercing us to unravel as much knowledge as possible. Naturally, when we’re staring uncertainty square in its faceless face, we simply do what needs to be done; we expand our brain’s horizons, push our bodies to the limit, and rise to the occasion – or fail trying. It makes me wonder where humanity would be if uncertainty was non-existent. Hell, where would that leave me?

My excitement for learning thrives off life’s uncertainty; analysing and problem-solving is who I’ve become. Without it …
Okay, that’s enough!
I clear my throat.
“Why don’t we take Bikini Bottom… and PUSH IT SOMEWHERE ELSE?!”
With laughter now consuming the silence, life’s uncertainty didn’t matter – if only for a moment.

Yeah, that was 20 year-old me. During that time I remembered being so gear-focused on the next step. The next challenge to conquer. School was literally the only thing I had going for me at the time, so of course I put my all into those essays and hoped for the best.

And when things didn’t pan out in my favor, I was initially devastated. I felt as if the universe had it out for me, that without my continued pursuit of tertiary education, I was a failure. That I was on the verge of becoming someone who eventually settled for less in life.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

A week or two after my plans for school completely fell to the floor, I tapped into something I always wanted to do – blogging. And sure, it started off pretty rocky. Hell, it’s still a process of finding smooth ground. But I felt a sense of fulfillment. Something education never managed to give me in the past.

The feeling of strangers from around the world, reading and responding to something that I created is unparalleled to any joy I’ve ever felt. Eventually, it all clicked. This was my passion; this is what I would love to wake up and do everyday. (And get paid for it of course.)

Being able to channel my brain’s frequency into written word, into a language that people the world over can digest, be entertained, enthralled, and enlightened by is mind-boggling.

I guess I said all of this to highlight what I discussed in my essay response – uncertainty. It’s what keeps life interesting. It’s a year into the future and I’m still not sure what’s going to happen next.

Do I follow my convictions, write some more and postpone my educational pursuits until I’m financially ready? Or do I go out on a wild limb, apply for multiple scholarships and see what hand fate decides to deal me? Either way, I know I’ll make the right decision.

And as cliche as may sound, sometimes things do happen for a reason; you may not understand why within that moment, but sooner or later it’ll all come full-circle. And if you find yourself dangling from a place of uncertainty, please do not beat yourself up for too long. Get off the house. Immerse yourself in a hobby. Take your mind off things for a while.

And after you’ve cleared your head a bit, you need to plan. You need to take affirmative action – plot multiple routes, ask those you trust for guidance, and most importantly follow your gut.

Whatever you do, don’t beat yourself up too much about what’s to come. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured by societal norms, social media, or even others around you to make decisions that’ll ultimately leave you feeling regretful and most importantly, unfulfilled.

Take your time. Figure out what you’re good at. Discover what your gifts and talents are. What you’re passionate about. Then figure out how to turn that into something worth wild. Something more than a piece of paper. Enjoy the wait. Dance in life’s uncertainty for a while. But while you’re doing so, plan! Have an end-goal in mind and devise methods of achieving said goal. And go after it!

Understand that not everything has to happen in the order you want it to. In fact, the laws of uncertainty forbid it.

Gosh, I know I’m a bit all over the place with this one guys but that’s how I’ve been feeling the past few weeks. Scrambled in anxiety and the fear of what’s next. But luckily I remembered something from my past, I remembered that we as humans thrive in the midst of uncertainty.

So if you’re feeling lost as it relates to your future, you’re definitely not alone. And to be honest, nobody has every aspect of their life together all the time. Nevertheless, I just want to encourage you all to keep at it, never give up on what you love most, and to go out there and prove yourself right.

Remember, life’s uncertainty is fundamental for our greatness. Rest assured that what’s next is fulfillment.

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