An ancient warrior faced uncertainty in a mighty battle. Even as small business leaders, we can learn from this story how uncertainty can be an invitation to be creative.
A great warrior was seeking certainty in the uncertainty of war.
The warrior was asked to lead his nation against the tyranny of a cruel king. He was not convinced this was possible or even his truth. The warrior looked for signs he should lead a people in war. He received signs and assembled thirty-two thousand men to go to war.
He was told by his king, that the victory would be too easy for him, so he was instructed to let every men who was afraid to go home. And, just like that, twenty-two thousand men left and only ten thousand remained. Gideon did as he was instructed. His king gave him further instructions. The warrior had to shake his head in disbelief when he was told by his king to take his soldiers to water and separate them by how they drink water. He was told the soldiers who lean down and lap the water like dogs, are to be sent home. Only 300 soldiers remained. Even though the warrior’s king said he would be victorious, can you imagine what he must be thinking?
Do you think the warrior faced uncertainty at this point?
To make matters worse, the warrior stopped receiving instructions from his king. Silence. Nothing. The warrior was certain of his instructions from his king, but was uncertain why he stopped receiving instructions from his king.
Can you relate to feeling led to do something in your business, you receive some signs along the way confirming you’re doing the right thing, and then you stop witnessing certainty.
What you do next will determine what you believe.
It’s in the uncertain times when we have an invitation to be creative.
The warrior led his 300 men into battle against the much larger enemy. He thought of a creative offensive attack. He found 300 musical trumpets and an equal number of torches. He waited until darkness, stealthily encircled his enemy encampment, and with coordinated precision lit the torches and blew the 300 trumpets. The enemy was terrified and surrendered in easy defeat.
Gideon, the warrior, led his army of 300 with certainty and creativity in an uncertain situation.
As small business owners, we are in uncertain times and we are called to be creative.
If you’re reading this blog post, maybe you are experiencing uncertainty.
- Maybe you believe you are led to start your own business during this current time of economic uncertainty.
- Maybe you are considering making a big investment in a particular service or even machine that you hope will increase your business.
- Insert your specific uncertainty.
At the time of this writing, a fellow small business owner just called me and explained how an illness in the family has caused uncertainty in his small business. We all have our own unique uncertainties.
Calling + Creativity combats uncertainty.
My client the energy consultant feels called to change the way corporations view environmental sustainability and organizational change. My client the affiliate marketing coach feels called to equip affiliate marketing managers to save jobs and increase revenue with best practice affiliate marketing management.
- Understanding you are uniquely called to _______ provides certainty.
- Understanding if you are uniquely called to _______ means you have unique gifts, talents, and creativity providing certainty.
So if you’re experiencing uncertainty, know it’s an invitation to creatively confirm who you really are and what you really believe. Your actions will tell the world what you believe in uncertain times.
Do you have a story of how uncertainty can be an invitation to be creative? Will you share below…
A very thought-provoking post.
At first I was thinking about experiences that lend themselves to the “battle” metaphor–business, marketing, former job situations–in other words, issues around earning money, which is so often envisioned as war in our culture.
Then I realized that the bigger lesson, for me, is about creativity. And creativity requires accepting, even embracing uncertainty, dancing with it. For instance, I’m working on a book, and I don’t know where the story ends, or how to put the whole thing together once it does. If I look at this uncertainty as a bad thing (“I don’t know how to do it, I probably can’t do a good job, I’m going to screw it up if I try”), I’m paralyzed. If I look at this uncertainty as an opportunity to trust my own inclinations, taste, sense of quality, etc. to create the best book I can imagine, then it’s a stimulus and a wonderful invitation.
I love this teaching, Matthew, because so much of learning to run a business involves learning “how” from other people. Learning how to write, market, sell, etc. Worrying that we’re not doing it “right” or effectively. But what if this ignorance is also an opportunity to really connect with oneself and others in a way that feels totally genuine… not just to follow formulae and how-tos, no matter how great they are, but to use the uncertainty of each moment creatively and authentically?
Liberating!
Thanks for your post.
This story definitely speaks to my heart Matthew. Thanks!
My calling to Earth Service came during a period of uncertainty in the late 90′s when I began a technical corporate career as a computer analyst. It gradually moved me through the uncertainties of major surgery, healing and spiritual initiations. And when my creativity finally began to peak out two year ago the uncertainty of sudden job loss arrived soon after to consolidate my forces much as the warrior in the story. Now all the uncertainties of investing my retirement into a creative venture have come forward. Doubt, fear and uncertainty are absolutely an invitation to ask again and go deeper into the question, “Who Am I?”
@Susan, you are quickly becoming one of my favorite people to converse with on this blog. I love what you had to say about creativity and uncertainty. One story I’ll share with you in the hope it may assist:
I was taking a behavior science class. The instructor explained how the human brain can accept either YES or NO, but can’t handle the uncertainty of anything outside either YES-NO or TRY & either succeed or fail. In my business life, I’ve been able to provide myself certainty and closure with something as simple and profound as “it either worked or failed, but I tried and now I have closure.”
Okay, after reading this, I hope I shared this concept in a way that makes sense.
@David You are in my thoughts. Thanks for sharing your comments with us. I really believe that our purpose on earth is to uncover our purpose on earth. This spiritual and universal truth only took me 40 years to acknowledge:)
We work with so many people who have confirmed their life’s work as an extension of one’s unique life’s purpose. The practical key that I’ve observed is people must now realize the nobility of getting paid to serve others. The good news: learning to make money as a unique solution provider is so much easier than figuring out one’s life purpose, and often we can’t equip ourselves financially until we align our purpose and work. The irony I’ve observed in my own life and other clients: The more money I made; the less hours and effort I’ve invested. Call it Good Karma, better time management, whatever…that’s been my truth.
I sure appreciate you and will hold you in my thoughts and prayers.