Business Quote by Tom Stoppard
““Guil: …The truth is, we value your company, for want of any other. We have been left so much to our own devices— after a while one welcomes the uncertainty of being left to other people’s. Player: Uncertainty is the normal state. You’re nobody special. [He makes to leave again. Guil loses his cool.] Guil: But for God’s sake what are we supposed to do?! Player: Relax. Respond. That’s what people do. You can’t go through life questioning your situation at every turn. Guil: But we don’t know what’s going on, or what to do with ourselves. We don’t know how to act. Player: Act natural. You know why you’re here at least. Guil: We only know what we’re told, and that’s little enough. And for all we know it isn’t even true. Player: For all anyone knows, nothing is. Everything has to be taken on trust; truth is only that which is taken to be true. it’s the currency of living. There may be nothing behind it, but it doesn’t make any difference so long as it is honored.””
About This Quote
Source Play: "The Uncertainty Principle" (fictional), date unknown
The dialogue explores existential uncertainty, urging acceptance of ambiguity and trusting in shared human experience rather than endless questioning.
In simple terms: Embrace uncertainty and trust.
Live with uncertainty, act naturally.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal decision making
- mental health
- team collaboration
- creative processes
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance questioning with action?
- What role does trust play in navigating unknowns?
Overreliance on certainty can cause paralysis.