Would you watch a film even though you already know how it ends?
Would you listen to a story knowing already the ending?
Maybe yes, but it wouldn't be so thrilling, right?
There's something magical in that not knowing, something that hooks you to the story till the end. You want to know what happened. You make guesses, hoping to be right and wrong at the same time. You want to discover how it ends. Yet, if someone spoils the final, part of that excitement is gone. Sure, the story is still beautiful, but not as thrilling.
Yet, when it comes to our stories, the ones about our lives, we'd like to know where they will take us before we begin. The thrill of the unknown gives way to the comfort of a predictable clarity.
Will this project succeed before I jump in?
Will this story work out before I commit?
Will this person be right for me before I open my heart?
We want to know how it will end or at least how it will unfold before we begin. Even if we know, it's just an illusion.
Yet, it hasn't always been like that.
I remember a time when I was a child or an adolescent, when not knowing what was ahead was the best motivation to jump in.
Risky? Sure. But what a wonderful feeling of being alive that was.
Then, growing up, that thirst for adventure and uncertainty faded away while choices became more and more reasonable.
What about you? Can you still feel the thrill of jumping into a mysterious adventure? Maybe a tiny one, like taking a new and unknown route to work.
What small adventure will you choose today that has an unknown outcome?