Do you fear the unknown?

Albert Einstein said:” The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious, it is a true source of art and science”. 

Early in our development, we are encouraged to explore everything with caution at the expense of curiosity and adventure. We sacrifice adventure for safety. This creates a barrier that prevents our own personal development and present-moment happiness. Too many people equate the unknown with danger. You cannot grow if you already know the answers before the questions. The times you were the most alive and spontaneous were the times when you delightfully anticipated the mysterious. Think of people who are regarded as geniuses and were spectacularly effective in their lifetimes. They were pioneers and adventurers of new and creative ideas. 

In some cases, you may fear giving up a routine and then fall into the trap of living a boring life. Or you’re not quite sure how to behave and then loose out on the entire adventure. Spontaneity means being able to try anything on the spur of the moment. You may even discover that you enjoy something that you never tried doing before. Are you scared to be condemned as irresponsible by others? The judgement of others doesn’t matter if you are having a marvellous time. You will never grow. You will have the same life day in and day out. Have you lived 10,000 or more days or have you lived one day 10,000 or more times?

Rigidity is the basis of all prejudice. It’s safer to stay with the known than to experience an adventure. To stay with people who are exactly like you. It is important to have a plan but to stick to it rigidly without spontaneity is just a waste of time. Enjoy living rather than living a life based on ritual. Failure is simply someone else’s opinion of how certain acts should’ve been completed.

It is important not to equate the act with your own self-worth. Not to succeed in a particular endeavour is not to break down your self-worth, it is simply not being successful with that particular trial at that particular present moment. Another trap people fall into is the “doing your best” trap. We should rather tell our children that they should concentrate and spend time on the things they love doing and do that more often that than just doing their best. 

The unknown is where growth resides. 

Robert Frost said in The Road Not Taken: “Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less travelled by and that was what made all the difference”.