We Fear the Known, Not Uncertainty

So many of us think the source of fear is uncertainty. After all, there are so many unknowns in life.

But before you address your fear, you want to know why you have fear before you find a solution.

Most of us assume that uncertainty is the cause of fear. So what do we do? We try to remove uncertainty by…

• Getting every insurance policy possible
• Obtaining degrees we think can give us better jobs
• Working jobs that are supposed to look good on our resumes
• Networking with people we think we need to survive

What a waste of energy!

We are doing the wrong things while the answer is right in front of us. One of the most fascinating thinkers of the 20th century is Jiddu Krishnamurti. He didn’t subscribe to a particular philosophical movement, but his ideas were close to Buddhism.

One of my favorite books by him is Freedom from the Known. In that book, which is based on the many talks he gave in his lifetime, he talks about how most people don’t know where their fear comes from. Krishnamurti often said:

“One is never afraid of the unknown; one is afraid of the known coming to an end.”