Change, Ambiguity, and Trade-Offs

Change, Ambiguity and Trade-Offs

3 August 2022

Harry Hoyt

A few years ago, I sent you a list of things to do and not to do as you negotiate the routines as well as the challenges of life. I recently reread a letter I sent to a friend in response to his question about some of the realities he faces on a daily basis. They are change, retain what you learn, ambiguity and trade-offs.

Change

There’s a saying that’s been around for quite a while that “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” I think it would be more accurate to say, “Nothing is certain except death and change.” Taxes are continually changing in terms of amount, and what entities and persons are affected. Change, however, affects all entities and all persons. There are people in this world who do not readily accept change and therefore do not deal with it effectively, and sometimes not At all. The more successful people recognize when change is upon them and adjust their thinking and actions to accommodate. The most successful people do their best to forecast change and effectively deal with it in such a way as to not only accept it but to benefit from it. It

Retain What You Learn

Another truism I have learned over the years of experience is that it isn’t so much what you learn; it’s what you retain. What you retain is of greatest value if it is actionable and you use it productively. Otherwise, it is a jumble of interesting facts. This may seem a bit cynical but when you drill down you are likely to find more truth than fiction. However, to give learning its due, I have sought learning experiences just for the fun of knowing something that may have no other utility than to inform and/or amuse me. I have also sought experiences that challenge my mind and keep it functioning reasonably well. Just before going into the surgery I told the anesthesiologist, “I am fond of my mind and use it constantly. Please return it to me in the same condition in which I am lending it to you.” He smiled, and as far as I can tell, he did.

Ambiguity

A situation, writing, action, or verbal comment that can be interpreted in more than one way is said to be ambiguous. Most of us meet ambiguity on a fairly consistent basis. Some people become frustrated with ambiguity in any form. How we deal with it affects what we say and do as well as the decisions we make. It is a major factor in our relationships with others. 

Trade-offs

I have found that the vast number of decisions I have ever made have dealt with trade-offs. That is when a decision benefits one situation over another, but when the second potential decision benefits the other or another situation. There are those people who simply refuse to accept trade-offs as an integral function of experiencing life and one that must be embraced and dealt with.

It is so common and easy to become upset and frustrated when any one of these elements gets in the way of what you wish. I have found that is self-indulgent. I think effectively dealing with these four truisms of life, go a long way toward keeping one up bright and realistic.