My buddy told me to always ask 'what's the worst that can happen' before any big decision

Honestly, he gave me that advice back in 2021 when I was thinking about starting my moving company in Tampa. I used it for everything, from buying my first truck to hiring. Ngl, it just made me overthink and get stuck on every little risk. I ended up delaying my launch by like four months for no real reason. Has anyone else found that kind of advice just paralyzes you instead of helping?

4 comments

4 Comments

drewr154mo ago

Four months delay honestly sounds like a lot for just overthinking.

the_rowan4mo ago

Tell me you've never had real anxiety without telling me. My brain can turn "did I send that email" into a full blown crisis that lasts a week. Four months is just the extended director's cut.

kim.nina26d ago

The "extended director's cut" line got me good. I actually read an article about how asking "what's the worst that can happen" works better for people who are naturally optimistic because it grounds them. For people who already lean anxious, it just feeds the monster, you know? It feels like you're being responsible, but really you're just handing your brain a shovel to dig deeper with. The most likely outcome tip is way better for us overthinkers, I've started using that myself after reading about it somewhere.

cameronp474mo ago

Stop asking what the worst is and start asking what the most likely outcome is. I switched to that after a similar freeze-up. For a moving truck, the worst is a total wreck, but the most likely is a few dents and a solid first job. It cuts out the crazy stories your brain makes up.