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Learn how to say "What the heck"
Wednesday, 13 June 2007
We all worry needlessly. We stress and grind our teeth over stuff that never happens. Every move, at times, can seem like it will cause it all to come crashing down around us. No wonder we find it so hard to motivate ourselves when there's so much at stake.
Or is there?
I've generally found that most of what people stress about is either petty or unlikely to occur. If someone ends up not liking you, is your social life really over? If you get turned down for that job you applied for, is it really the end of your career? If that investment goes bad, are you really going to end up in poverty?
I think part of the problem is that our minds are still wired to think we're living back in tribal times. Back in those days, getting things wrong could mean starvation, murder or horrible injury. No wonder our minds were set up to make a BIG DEAL out of every little thing we did.
But these days, we live in a fairly safe world where few things can really go wrong. Sure, we might end up with a little inconvenience, emotional hurt, or embarrassment. But the way people stress over every tiny little thing that might go wrong is just crazy.
In fact, I feel that it's anti-productive. Sure, being overly-anxious may help you avoid some problems. But it also means you avoid the risks that true rewards require. And, it makes you feel bad.
In my experience, things rarely turn out as badly as I expect them to. In fact, when I take risks, usually few things go wrong. And even when they do, it's generally something I can repair without too much effort.
When disasters have occurred in my life, it's often been because of something completely unexpected. The things I worry about tend not to happen too much.
I know a lot of people, and I've noticed those who have a tendency to worry, and then say "What the heck" and do it anyway are happier and more successful. Those who avoid any type of risk can get by, but their efforts usually don't receive the same level of reward.
Of course, this is a balance, and you can swing too far the other way as well. I think a good zone to place yourself in is to take more risks than the average person, but not so many that you place yourself and your situation in mortal danger.
So ring up that special person, apply for that job that's just out of reach, and invest a little money in something uncertain. The more you deal with risk, the more you'll learn about how to use it for your advantage.
Say "What the heck!" more than you have been. And see what kind of results you get.
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