Fear of uncertainty: 8 keys to overcome it

April 5, 2024

Human beings can be afraid for the most varied reasons, and although we often associate them with something negative, sometimes it is about an adaptive reaction that appears in situations of danger , so it has been useful for the development of our species.

However, not all fears have this positive characteristic. Some people may experience irrational fears or excessive worries about harmless stimuli or situations that are not really negative. One of these fears is the fear of uncertainty or the unknown , a feeling that interferes with our personal development and our change process for the better.

Related article: "7 fears and fears that stop your personal and work success"

Keys to overcome the fear of uncertainty

The fear of uncertainty can be disabling because it does not allow to leave the comfort zone. The person prefers the bad known that what may come.

But how is it possible to overcome fear of the unknown? In the following lines we explain it to you.

1. Accept it

The fear of uncertainty is a fear that to a greater or lesser extent can affect us all, but there are people that due to the great confidence they have in their possibilities, the healthy self-esteem they possess and the ease of self-motivation, they manage to overcome it. On the other hand, the fear of uncertainty causes great discomfort , but the worst of all is that it immobilizes the person who suffers it, since it feeds the appearance of thoughts that sabotage our own possibilities of learning and undertake interesting projects. It does not let us be who we want to be, nor exploit our full potential.

One of the best ways to overcome the fear of uncertainty is to accept it. Accepting that fear exists and that worries about the uncertainty of the future are suffered by the whole world. Accepting the experience helps reduce anxiety, as the body relaxes and does not become defensive.

2. Experiment it and take action

This fear is characterized by being, in many cases, an irrational fear; that's why it's hard to get rid of him. These irrational fears arise because we elaborate certain hypotheses about future situations, hypotheses that we do not come to contrast and, therefore, we do not know if they are true.

Many times, when we step forward and act against our fear, we will realize that these limiting thoughts were not realistic and our prediction of the future was incorrect. Therefore, despite having a certain fear and anxiety about change and uncertainty, exposing ourselves to this fear can help us to realize that our thoughts were just that, biased interpretations, and not reality.

3. Live the present

When we feel fear of uncertainty, it's because we live immersed in unreal expectations , that is, what we think is not true (or at least we do not know at that moment). So to have the mind far from the future, better to have it in the present, which is the only time we can live.

That does not mean we can not have goals and plan them , but you have to touch with your feet on the ground and live the here and now in its fullness.

4. Practice self-pity

Self-pity refers to accept the failures that can happen in our life and treat ourselves with love. People can be very hard on ourselves, and when things do not go our way, we can be our worst critics. Therefore, not only is it necessary to accept experience and live the present, but we must have a non-judgmental mentality towards ourselves and treat us with compassion.

5. Mindfulness practice

Mindfulness is a practice that contains all the previous points. Although in psychology it can be used as a therapeutic method thanks to some programs such as Cognitive Therapy Based on Mindfulness (MBCT) or the Program in Stress Reduction Based on Mindfulness (MBSR), it is a philosophy of life with some basic principles that can improve our emotional health.

It consists of becoming an observer of the experience , have a non-judgmental mentality, treat oneself with compassion and live in the here and now. Besides being aware of the reality that surrounds us, it also helps to develop mindfulness thanks to different techniques such as meditation.

Related article: "What is Mindfulness? The 7 answers to your questions "

6. Look for motivation

A tool that can be useful to overcome the fear of uncertainty is find our motivations , make them aware and plan our goals so that we have a more realistic image of the future that awaits us. In this sense, it is important to set short-term goals to go step by step towards greater objectives.

7. Improve your self-confidence

Self confidence is key in any process of change. In fact, self-confidence or high self-efficacy it helps us to empower ourselves in the face of change and to think that the challenges we assume are possible and achievable. Although overconfidence or false self-confidence are not good, self-confidence allows one to face the fear of uncertainty with guarantees.

8. Use coaching

Sometimes it can be difficult to carry out the change and overcome the fear of uncertainty because we know ourselves, we do not know where we want to shoot, nor are we capable of motivating ourselves. In these cases it is interesting to seek the help of a psychologist specialized in coaching so that through different dynamics and exercises you can reflect on who you are, the way you want to go and thus empower yourself in front of life and change.

Some of the benefits of coaching are: