--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Uncertainty is where things happen. It is…" description: "\"Uncertainty is where things happen. It is where the opportunities - for success, for happiness, for really living - are waiting.\" — Oliver Burkeman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f54/oliver-burkeman-14344_doubt_uncertainty-is-where-things-happen-it-is_2028106.png" --- # Uncertainty is where things happen. It is where the… ![“Uncertainty is where things happen. It is where the opportunities - for success, for happiness, for really living - are waiting.” quote by Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f54/oliver-burkeman-14344_doubt_uncertainty-is-where-things-happen-it-is_2028106.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f54/oliver-burkeman-14344_doubt_uncertainty-is-where-things-happen-it-is_2028106.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f54/oliver-burkeman-14344_doubt_uncertainty-is-where-things-happen-it-is_2028106.png) > “Uncertainty is where things happen. It is where the opportunities - for success, for happiness, for really living - are waiting.” [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uncertainty creates the conditions for new possibilities and meaningful experiences. **In simple terms:** Opportunity lives in the unknown. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty. Themes uncertainty opportunity growth Mood hopeful inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career change - creative ventures - personal growth Key Concepts risk tolerance existential meaning Questions to Reflect On - What can you do in uncertain moments? - How do you manage fear of the unknown? A Different Perspective Too much uncertainty can cause anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity for success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-for-success/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) ## Related quotes > [“There's something about uncertainty...when things can go either way that make you secretly hope for the whole thing to self-destruct.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-erler/there-s-something-about-uncertainty-when-things-can-go-either-way/) Justine Erler > [Get out of bed, go to school, stick at school. Make it happen for yourself because those opportunities are waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-forrest/get-out-of-bed-go-to-school-stick-at-school-make-it-happen-for/) [Andrew Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-forrest/) > [I never know what's going to happen or what opportunities are going to be given to me. I've found with the opportunities that I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-daddario/i-never-know-what-s-going-to-happen-or-what-opportunities-are-going/) [Alexandra Daddario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-daddario/) > [“If you believe that that the one opportunity you missed is the last one you’ll ever get, then that is exactly what will happen:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/if-you-believe-that-that-the-one-opportunity-you-missed-is-the-last/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [Live by the creed that a strong work ethic, playing by the rules, and doing things the right way will bring about opportunities for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/live-by-the-creed-that-a-strong-work-ethic-playing-by-the-rules-and/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [Be careful what you water your dreams with. 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Instead of thinking “This could be a great opportunity for success!” why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-sher/maybe-coming-up-with-ideas-is-just-the-way-your-brain-dances-instead/) [Barbara Sher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-sher/) > [Have the end in mind and every day make sure your working towards it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-allis/have-the-end-in-mind-and-every-day-make-sure-your-working-towards-it/) Ryan Allis > [When you kill time, you kill your opportunities for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/when-you-kill-time-you-kill-your-opportunities-for-success/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [But no nation can base its survival and development on luck and prayers alone while its leadership fritters away every available opportunity for success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibrahim-babangida/but-no-nation-can-base-its-survival-and-development-on-luck-and/) [Ibrahim Babangida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibrahim-babangida/) > [“What's knocking on your door...opportunities to succeed or opportunities to fail? Times may get tough, life may not be fair, but never allow fleeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/what-s-knocking-on-your-door-opportunities-to-succeed-or/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [If you're going to be thinking anyway, think big!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-re-going-to-be-thinking-anyway-think-big/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Every kid in our state deserves an opportunity for success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tate-reeves/every-kid-in-our-state-deserves-an-opportunity-for-success/) [Tate Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tate-reeves/) ## More by Oliver Burkeman > [Ceaseless optimism about the future only makes for a greater shock when things go wrong; by fighting to maintain only positive beliefs about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/ceaseless-optimism-about-the-future-only-makes-for-a-greater-shock/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [“And here lies the essential between Stoicism and the modern-day 'cult of optimism.' For the Stoics, the ideal state of mind was tranquility, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/and-here-lies-the-essential-between-stoicism-and-the-modern-day-cult/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [“By the second day, the song lyrics had faded, but in their place came darker irritations. Gradually, I started to become aware of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/by-the-second-day-the-song-lyrics-had-faded-but-in-their-place-came/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [Through positive thinking and related approaches, we seek the safety and solid ground of certainty, of knowing how the future will turn out, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/through-positive-thinking-and-related-approaches-we-seek-the-safety/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [“All these counterproductive ways of thinking about failure manifest themselves most acutely in the phenomenon of perfectionism. 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It wasn't reading books or watching YouTube talks about How To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/what-made-leonardo-da-vinci-thomas-edison-and-albert-einstein-such/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [“Perhaps you don’t need telling that self-help books, the modern-day apotheosis of the quest for happiness, are among the things that fail to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/perhaps-you-don-t-need-telling-that-self-help-books-the-modern-day/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [Who says you need to wait until you 'feel like' doing something in order to start doing it? The problem, from this perspective, isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/who-says-you-need-to-wait-until-you-feel-like-doing-something-in/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [“Incremental theory’ people are different. Because they think of abilities as emerging through tackling challenges, the experience of failure has a completely different meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/incremental-theory-people-are-different-because-they-think-of/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [It is illuminating to note, here, how the daily rituals and working routines of prolific authors and artists - people who really do get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/it-is-illuminating-to-note-here-how-the-daily-rituals-and-working/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [“Pilots were not excused all these rigorous new checks, and when Woodie Menear’s turn came, the security screener expressed concern about the presence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/pilots-were-not-excused-all-these-rigorous-new-checks-and-when-woodie/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [“...no matter how much success you may experience in life, your eventual story - no offence intended - will be one of failure. Your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/no-matter-how-much-success-you-may-experience-in-life-your-eventual/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) > [The routines of almost all famous writers, from Charles Darwin to John Grisham, similarly emphasise specific starting times, or number of hours worked, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-burkeman/the-routines-of-almost-all-famous-writers-from-charles-darwin-to-john/) [Oliver Burkeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) [Explore all 47 Oliver Burkeman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-burkeman/) ## More Doubt quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) Ted Martinez > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I don't doubt that straight white men have identity issues and identity complexes and struggle with defining themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/i-don-t-doubt-that-straight-white-men-have-identity-issues-and/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [“Where there is doubt (shanka), there is misery. The moment one begins to doubt the knowledge that, 'I am Chandubhai,' misery arises. Once one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-doubt-shanka-there-is-misery-the-moment-one-begins-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [“Let no one hope to find in contemplation an escape from conflict, from anguish or from doubt. On the contrary, the deep, inexpressible certitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/let-no-one-hope-to-find-in-contemplation-an-escape-from-conflict-from/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Two powerful, little words I've learned to use when facing challenges, fears, and doubts— so what? ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/two-powerful-little-words-i-ve-learned-to-use-when-facing-challenges/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible - and no one can now doubt the word of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/for-diplomacy-to-be-effective-words-must-be-credible-and-no-one-can/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Vision motivates, sustains and dispels doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-young/vision-motivates-sustains-and-dispels-doubt/) [Thomas Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-young/) > [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [Let smiles overshadow sadness. Let faith make you believe. Let confidence wash away doubts. Let love complete your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/let-smiles-overshadow-sadness-let-faith-make-you-believe-let/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When in doubt, suggest that a subcommittee be appointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-chapman/when-in-doubt-suggest-that-a-subcommittee-be-appointed/) Harry Chapman > [“Those who contemplate never escape the doubt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/those-who-contemplate-never-escape-the-doubt/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) [Browse all 9,582 Doubt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Uncertainty is where things happen. 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