CWIB Book Review: “The Upside of Uncertainty”
“For nothing will be impossible for God” (Luke 1:37).
The Treacherous Unknown
To say that I’m risk-averse is an understatement, but in “The Upside of Uncertainty,” authors Nathan Furr and Susannah Harmon Furr “invite you to consider that the only way to get to the possibilities you dream about is to navigate your way there through the treacherous realm of the unknown.” I’m not up for the treacherous realm even after reading the book, but I do have a better appreciation for how others have overcome life’s challenges.
Whether it’s beginning a new relationship, starting a company, moving across the country (or world), or managing a scary diagnosis, uncertainty lies behind every door. There is no escaping it, even if you are an Olympic-level planner. And how boring our lives would be if we always knew how it would all turn out!
Nathan Furr and his wife and co-author, Susannah Harmon Furr, conducted years of research, including hundreds of interviews, on this important topic. The result is a guide to navigating our ever-changing and ever-challenging world. “There is no linear way forward,” they write, “in a world where up to 65 percent of elementary-school-age children may work in jobs that don’t even exist yet.”
An Optimistic but Realistic Approach
The authors break down the book into four sections represented by a “first-aid cross”: “Reframe,” “Prime,” “Do,” and “Sustain.” Each chapter has a real-world example of an uncertain scenario, followed by a reflection and practice section. The reflection and practice sections asked hard questions and helped me understand why I’m uncomfortable with uncertainty.
Although this book is optimistic and full of examples of overcoming adversity, it is also honest and acknowledges that failure and setbacks are the only guaranteed certainty. We must seek out the upside. In the hundreds of examples in the book, not once did I read “on the first attempt, it worked” or “this idea went from ideation to realization in five easy steps.” Rather, the authors write, “We live in a world of risk, and we live in a world of failure, and the real issue is how do we deal with that failure.”
While this book is not faith-based (although there is a section on the idea of “Memento Mori”), trust in the unknown is the very definition of faith. We are not called to be timid but bold—to dream big and to surrender those dreams as we strive to live out God’s plan for our life. The upside of uncertainty means living our life certain that God loves us and wants the best for us.
“Stay curious and believe in your personal story and your ability to make it happen, even as it shifts under your feet.”
Cathi Kennedy is passionate about building relationships. At the University of Notre Dame, she advises graduate students for the Mendoza College of Business. Her background is in marketing and communications, and she recently received her MBA. Impassioned writer, voracious reader, aspiring knitter. Married to a musician and mom to two amazing sons. Cathi is a convert to Catholicism and seeks to learn something new about her faith every day. Connect with Cathi: LinkedIn • Instagram • Facebook • Blog