--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to be wary of the need for…" description: "\"“We need to be wary of the need for certainty. Seeking certitude can cause our beliefs and decision making to crystallize prematurely, and the resultin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/todd-kashdan-26207_certainty_we-need-to-be-wary-of-the-need-for-certa_333774.jpg" --- # We need to be wary of the need for certainty. Seeking… ![“We need to be wary of the need for certainty. Seeking certitude can cause our beliefs and decision making to crystallize prematurely, and the resulting reluctance to consider new information can hurt us in the long run.” quote by Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/todd-kashdan-26207_certainty_we-need-to-be-wary-of-the-need-for-certa_333774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/todd-kashdan-26207_certainty_we-need-to-be-wary-of-the-need-for-certa_333774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/195/todd-kashdan-26207_certainty_we-need-to-be-wary-of-the-need-for-certa_333774.jpg) > ““We need to be wary of the need for certainty. Seeking certitude can cause our beliefs and decision making to crystallize prematurely, and the resulting reluctance to consider new information can hurt us in the long run.”” [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Over‑reliance on certainty can freeze thinking and block new ideas. **In simple terms:** Certainty can limit growth. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty. Themes open‑mindedness decision making belief revision Mood thoughtful cautious Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - business strategy - scientific research - personal relationships - policy development - learning environments Key Concepts cognitive flexibility risk assessment Questions to Reflect On - When is certainty necessary? - How can you stay open while making choices? A Different Perspective Too much uncertainty can cause indecision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ## Related quotes > [All too often we think of community in terms of being with folks like ourselves: the same class, same race, same ethnicity, same social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/all-too-often-we-think-of-community-in-terms-of-being-with-folks-like/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [The very desire to be certain,to be secure,is the beginning of bondage.It's only when the mind is not caught in the net of certainty,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-very-desire-to-be-certain-to-be-secure-is-the-beginning-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think we need to be very wary of systems where it's the public that is carrying the burden of doing cleanup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lina-khan/i-think-we-need-to-be-very-wary-of-systems-where-it-s-the-public-that/) [Lina Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lina-khan/) > [“Our desire for a cause that will allow us to commit ourselves mind and body to its banner is a cry for clarity in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-amerland/our-desire-for-a-cause-that-will-allow-us-to-commit-ourselves-mind/) [David Amerland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-amerland/) > [Our need for certainty in an endeavor as uncertain as raising children makes explicit 'how-to-parent' strategies both seductive and dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/our-need-for-certainty-in-an-endeavor-as-uncertain-as-raising/) [Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [Alaskans need some certainty and clarity over how the Pebble Partnership intends to proceed. I understand the complexity of a project like this, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-murkowski/alaskans-need-some-certainty-and-clarity-over-how-the-pebble/) [Lisa Murkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-murkowski/) > [“THE BIG THREE “All you need are these: certainty of judgment in the present moment; action for the common good in the present moment;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/the-big-three-all-you-need-are-these-certainty-of-judgment-in-the/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“All you need are these: certainty of judgment in the present moment; action for the common good in the present moment; and an attitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/all-you-need-are-these-certainty-of-judgment-in-the-present-moment/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [“It appears, from all this, that our eyes are uncertain. Two persons look at the same clock and there is a difference of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/remy-de-gourmont/it-appears-from-all-this-that-our-eyes-are-uncertain-two-persons-look/) [Remy de Gourmont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/remy-de-gourmont/) > [People who need certainty are unlikely to make good entrepreneurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/people-who-need-certainty-are-unlikely-to-make-good-entrepreneurs/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Investors don't like uncertainty. The market is telling us that they need certainty, they need to see where the economy is heading. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhang-xin/investors-don-t-like-uncertainty-the-market-is-telling-us-that-they/) [Zhang Xin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhang-xin/) > [Businesses need certainty, to see clearly the rules of engagement for investing in South Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-oppenheimer/businesses-need-certainty-to-see-clearly-the-rules-of-engagement-for/) [Nicky Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-oppenheimer/) > [The need for certainty is the greatest disease the Mind faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-need-for-certainty-is-the-greatest-disease-the-mind-faces/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [What I need most of all is certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/what-i-need-most-of-all-is-certainty/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) ## More by Todd Kashdan > [“As Tibetan Buddhists remind us, “If we take care of the minutes and moments, the hours and days will take care of themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/as-tibetan-buddhists-remind-us-if-we-take-care-of-the-minutes-and/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Living a life of curiosity is not about ignoring risk and anxiety. It’s about being willing to do what one values, even in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/living-a-life-of-curiosity-is-not-about-ignoring-risk-and-anxiety-it/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“You are going to be dead a long time, and only have a brief period of time to feel, to do something meaningful, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/you-are-going-to-be-dead-a-long-time-and-only-have-a-brief-period-of/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Without curiosity, we are unable to sustain our attention, we avoid risks, we abort challenging tasks, we compromise our intellectual development, we fail to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/without-curiosity-we-are-unable-to-sustain-our-attention-we-avoid/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Most people overestimate risk, failure, and danger and underestimate the value of being curious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/most-people-overestimate-risk-failure-and-danger-and-underestimate/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“In a survey of more than 10,000 people from 48 countries, happiness was viewed as more important than success, intelligence, knowledge, maturity, wisdom, relationships,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/in-a-survey-of-more-than-10-000-people-from-48-countries-happiness/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“When we are open to new possibilities, we find them. Be open and skeptical of everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/when-we-are-open-to-new-possibilities-we-find-them-be-open-and/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Without being interested in what we do, it is nearly impossible to be motivated to reach the goals that are most important to us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/without-being-interested-in-what-we-do-it-is-nearly-impossible-to-be/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“When people can’t handle their partner’s periodic requests for privacy or their random bursts of anger and anxiety, they resort to extreme measures (aggression,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/when-people-can-t-handle-their-partner-s-periodic-requests-for/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Two types of avoidance cause problems for people: avoiding pleasure and avoiding pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/two-types-of-avoidance-cause-problems-for-people-avoiding-pleasure/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Our moods change constantly and thus our ideas about the past change with them. As for the future, it remains unwritten. Anything can happen,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/our-moods-change-constantly-and-thus-our-ideas-about-the-past-change/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“I wake up with the hope this day is even more uncertain than yesterday. It’s the unknown that we live, breathe, and move in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/i-wake-up-with-the-hope-this-day-is-even-more-uncertain-than/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Let me see if I am following you…am I missing anything?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/let-me-see-if-i-am-following-you-am-i-missing-anything/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Rather than be encouraged to learn about ourselves and our interests, we are more often taught how to make decisions about what to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/rather-than-be-encouraged-to-learn-about-ourselves-and-our-interests/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) > [“Power—To gain social status and prestige Purpose—To have meaning and direction in my life Romance—To have intense, exciting love in my life Safety—To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-kashdan/power-to-gain-social-status-and-prestige-purpose-to-have-meaning-and/) [Todd Kashdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) [Explore all 22 Todd Kashdan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-kashdan/) ## More Certainty quotes > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-past-and-the-future-become-unimportant-there-is-only-that-moment/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [In the mental disturbance and effort of writing, what sustains you is the certainty that on every page there is something left unsaid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/in-the-mental-disturbance-and-effort-of-writing-what-sustains-you-is/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Of course I doubt. I do not practice a certainty. I practice a faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/of-course-i-doubt-i-do-not-practice-a-certainty-i-practice-a-faith/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As a businessman, I know that businesses need certainty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-foster/as-a-businessman-i-know-that-businesses-need-certainty/) [Bill Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-foster/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [Every single person who is a member of our party deserves to have certainty. They deserve to know that my attention and focus is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annamie-paul/every-single-person-who-is-a-member-of-our-party-deserves-to-have/) [Annamie Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annamie-paul/) > [The significance and volume of repairs that are needed across the country demand that we give state and local governments the long-term certainty they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-graves/the-significance-and-volume-of-repairs-that-are-needed-across-the/) [Sam Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-graves/) > [“Death is the one great certainty in life. That’s what my dad used to say. Nothing else is certain. Not love. Not happiness. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-gray/death-is-the-one-great-certainty-in-life-that-s-what-my-dad-used-to/) [Mila Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-gray/) > [ \[I\]f in other sciences we should arrive at certainty without doubt and truth without error, it behooves us to place the foundations of knowledge… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-bacon/i-f-in-other-sciences-we-should-arrive-at-certainty-without-doubt-and/) [Roger Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-bacon/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [Finding someone that trusted my vision helped me find certainty in who I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/finding-someone-that-trusted-my-vision-helped-me-find-certainty-in/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) [Browse all 1,776 Certainty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We need to be wary of the need for certainty. 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