Lean Into Uncertainty

When you're teaching a kid to ride a bicycle, the best way to empower them is to skip the training wheels and give them a balance bike.

A balance bike has just two wheels, but no pedals, which requires kids to use their legs to propel themselves forward. By withholding the sense of security that comes from training wheels, balance bikes help kids develop greater confidence, strength, and independence — even long before they're physically ready for a traditional, pedal-powered bike.

It's easy to forget once you're a confident rider, but biking is a precarious exercise. The only thing keeping you upright is your forward momentum, which means that to learn how to ride, you must overcome the feeling of uncertainty. You have to train yourself to quickly accelerate past the speed at which you'll just topple over.

Since nothing in life is certain, this serves as a useful metaphor for whenever you're feeling unsteady: Lean into the uncertainty and just keep pedaling.

Your momentum will keep you upright.

See also: Stop Pedaling