Clarity on Fire

Blog: How you can stop freaking out about not knowing the future


Listen Later

My dad is fond of teasing my mom about how, back when they were in college, she would buy all of her school books, take them home, and immediately flip to the back of each book.

As she glanced through the final chapters of each textbook, she would get more and more anxious. Eventually, fighting back tears, she'd throw her hands up and say, "I don't understand any of this! I'm never going to make it through these classes."

My dad would always chuckle and reassure her by saying, "Of course you don't understand the stuff in the back of the book. That's why you're taking this class! So that by the time you get there, you DO know how to do all of it."

We all laugh about this story now. It's one of those Thanksgiving-table stories that gets told over and over again.

But as I've gotten older, I realize that this story isn't just a funny family anecdote. It's actually a great analogy for what most of us do all the time.

We're all peeking into the "back of the book," trying to figure out what's coming and how we're going to handle it, and getting overwhelmed by everything we don't know yet.

In this week's throwback blog from November 2017, I'm sharing what to do INSTEAD of wasting your time worrying or shutting down options because you don't have all the answers right now.

IF YOU LIKED THIS, YOU'LL ALSO LOVE

Finding a dream job after years of searching with Teanca Shepherd (September, 2018)

Side Chat: A mind-blowing, time-bending analogy (October, 2018)

Bonus Book Club! Outrageous Openness by Tosha Silver (November 2018)

Predicting the future (the right way) with Madeleine Joan (December, 2018)

LINKS

Leave us a comment on this episode

Take the Passion Profile Quiz

Submit your question for a future episode of Dear Krachel

Check out our YouTube channel

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Clarity on FireBy Rachel East and Kristen Walker

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

150 ratings


More shows like Clarity on Fire

View all
Serial by Serial Productions & The New York Times

Serial

75,185 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,952 Listeners

HerMoney with Jean Chatzky by Jean Chatzky Her Money

HerMoney with Jean Chatzky

1,487 Listeners

Science Vs by Spotify Studios

Science Vs

12,166 Listeners

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

2,535 Listeners

Heavyweight by Pushkin Industries

Heavyweight

17,658 Listeners

The Lazy Genius Podcast by Kendra, The Lazy Genius

The Lazy Genius Podcast

6,706 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,868 Listeners

EXPANDED Podcast by To Be Magnetic™ by To Be Magnetic™

EXPANDED Podcast by To Be Magnetic™

3,303 Listeners

I Have ADHD Podcast by Kristen Carder

I Have ADHD Podcast

2,897 Listeners

On Purpose with Jay Shetty by iHeartPodcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

27,679 Listeners

Financial Feminist by Her First $100K

Financial Feminist

6,457 Listeners

Pulling The Thread with Elise Loehnen by Elise Loehnen

Pulling The Thread with Elise Loehnen

1,107 Listeners

Astrology of the Week Ahead with Chani Nicholas by CHANI

Astrology of the Week Ahead with Chani Nicholas

673 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

20,787 Listeners