Making “What If?” work for you…

As someone who knows overthinking well, I’m pretty good at playing the “what if?” game. You know the one I’m talking about – the one where you ask yourself the following questions:

• “What if people think I’m crazy?”
• “What if things don’t go the way I want them to?”
• “What if they laugh at me?”
• “What if I fail?”
• “What if I’m not good enough?”

I’m not sure why we’re conditioned to think about the worst case scenario. The truth is that this kind of thinking doesn’t serve us at all. When we play this type of what if game, we’re simply worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. Not only haven’t they happened yet, chances are pretty good that they never will!

We can change the rules of the game. Instead of worrying about the worst case scenario, preventing us from taking action for fear that these things may come true, why not consider what would happen if everything worked out better than you ever imagined? The next time the “what if” thoughts pop into mind, consider these instead:

• What if people support my goals?
• What if things go exactly as they’re supposed to?
• What if they are proud of me?
• What if I make it happen?
• What if I’m better than I ever imagined?

Do you feel the difference in the way you feel when you ask yourself the second set of questions? Playing the “what if” game doesn’t have to be depressing. You can use it as a tool to visualize the reality that you want to create. Remember that our thoughts create our reality. When we spend our time worrying about what could go wrong, it shouldn’t be a surprise when they actually do.

This isn’t to say that you should expect smooth sailing in the pursuit of your dreams. It’s better to have no expectations at all rather than those that are simply waiting for things to go wrong. Expect the unexpected. Be unattached to outcome. If you’re going to think about the future, you might as well focus on what where you want to be headed instead of where you don’t want to be. ♥