Positive Uncertainty - Be realistic and optimistic

Six potted plants on a windowsill with raindrops on the windowpane and a cityscape visible in the background.

Tips on how you can be realistic and optimistic about what you believe?

  1. Be aware of the influence on your decision-making.
  2. Confirm that your beliefs serve as connections, not obstacles.
  3. Make a plan: Carry an umbrella if you believe it will rain.

 

Here is an activity to help with realistic and optimistic aspects of your decisions:

Consider a career decision-making scenario (a job interview, career change, job search). Now apply that scenario tho the questions below.

Best Scenario 

Describe the most desirable scenario you can imagine.

Worst Scenario 

Describe the least desirable scenario you can imagine.

Most Likely Scenario

Describe the scenario you predict will most likely happen.

Was the best scenario easy or difficult to imagine? Why?

Was the worst scenario harder or easier to imagine than the best scenario? Why?

Was the most likely scenario easy or difficult to imagine? Why?

Is it really the best scenario anyone could imagine? Why?

Is it really the worst scenario anyone could imagine? Why?

What facts did you use to visualize the most likely scenario?

Is your best scenario overly optimistic or overly pessimistic?

Is your worst scenario overly optimistic or overly pessimistic?

Was the most likely scenario overly optimistic or overly pessimistic?

How did you feel while thinking about the best scenario?

How did you feel while thinking about the worst scenario?

How did you feel while thinking about the most likely scenario?

Was your most likely scenario closest to your best or worst scenario? Why?

What does your experience with scenario rehearsal tell you about your beliefs?

 

How might it influence your decision-making in the future? 

Note: This activity is adapted from Gelatt, H. B., & Gelatt, V. N. (n.d.). Positive Uncertainty [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.gelattpartners.com/positiveuncertainty.html (site no longer active)

Changing one’s mind will be an essential decision-making skill in the future. Keeping the mind open will be another. Positive uncertainty helps clients deal with ambiguity, accept inconsistency, and utilize the intuitive side of choosing.

-  H B Gelatt in 1989 *