20 Dec Hope for the best, prepare for the worst….
“Hope for the best, prepare for the worst”
Many believe that preparing for the worst is some sort of excuse lurking in the back of the mind telling you it can’t really happen but actually it is the opposite of that- it is a smart move.
To hope that things will turn out as well as possible, all we can do is hope for the best. To hope that something will be successful or happen in the way you want, even if it seems unlikely. This can be an expression of hope or insight after something has gone awry or circumstances seem bleak. To have hope that a positive occurrence will happen, while simultaneously readying yourself for a negative outcome.
“Hope for the best and be prepared for the worst” is a quote by Maya Angelou. Lee Child said, “Hope for the best, plan for the worst”. Zig Ziglar said, “Expect the best prepare for the worst”. Why is it good to be prepared for the worst because, by preparing for the worst, you can reach your goals much more smoothly and you can put more of your energy in having positive attitude knowing that you have covered any eventualities and lessening the negative chatter in your head.
Jenny Marchal said, “To reach your goals you need determination, a positive attitude and an absolute belief that you can achieve what you want. However, another important factor is to prepare for the bumps in the road, obstacles and interruptions that could potentially crop up on your quest for achievement”.
This may seem like a pessimistic mind set-after all, aren’t meant to have an unwavering belief that we can attain what we want no matter what? Well actually it is an important element in achieving success. We will undoubtedly come across challenges enough to make us wonder if we are able to achieve our goal at all. But with a plan in place, these challenges can be fought and overcome much more easily making that road to success a much less bumpy one. Preparing for the worst can give us a sense of security and lessens the fears and anxieties that can naturally surface on the journey.
Now the question of accomplishing 80% positive energy and 20% worry, let face it, even the most ambitious of us still get niggling doubts of worry. When it comes to achieving our goals, fear manifested as worry is the number one blocker to many people even contemplating going after their dreams. When we enter the journey, we feel vulnerable to failure and much of the time we are spending most of our precious energy on worrying.
Now there are certain misconceptions around preparing for the worst. By their very nature, goals aren’t always easy and straight forward to achieve. This is so strong that many don’t even try or just believe that goals are attainable. Many also believe that preparing for the worst is some sort of excuse lurking in the back of the mind telling you it can’t really happen. But actually it is the opposite of that- it is a smart move.
Our happiness and emotional well-being is sometimes overlooked when we try to reach our goals. We focus on the end result adding to our happiness but the journey along the way shouldn’t compromise this. Preparing for eventualities can be thought of as a safety net for the emotional well-being. When we suffer setbacks and failures, we are understandably brought down and it is these instances that can stop us from carrying on altogether. When we prepare for the worst we are actually clearing our worries and calming our emotions, which, in the long run, will be greatly beneficial to accomplishing our goals.
Now how can we effectively prepare for the worst to reach our goals? It is all about planning ahead. Sometimes it can be hard to evaluate all eventualities but if you get the basics down, you are half way there. With any situation in life, where we put ourselves out there, there is a chance we could fail. It is the excitement of life that also creates fear in most of us.
Whatever your dream or goal is, make time to sit and think about possible scenario’s. Money is a big factor when it comes to whether or not we even start going for our dreams. The worry of money, or lack of, is a big one. Say you have decided to give up your boring desk job to chase after your dream career, this could pose a big risk around money and even threatens to run out if it takes longer than expected. So put money aside and ask yourself questions like whether you would need to move to a cheaper place? If so, where could you potentially move to? Are there people you could move in with if you needed to? Could you get a loan from the bank? If so, look into different types of loans to see if any would suit you.
If you couldn’t reach your goal, what would you want to do instead? What alternatives are there that would equally make you happy? If you wanted to become a writer, could you go into teaching instead? Or maybe even go back to studying, perhaps start your own business? Having options helps calm your mind and allow you to not fear difficult situations. It also gives you hope that if you don’t end up achieving your goal, other options are equally as good. So, remember, preparing for the worst will actually allow you to achieve your goals much more easily and eliminate bumps that, if unprepared for, could cause you to give up altogether.
A great quote by the late American Author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar, “Expect the best: Prepare for the worst, Capitalize on what comes”. In other words, don’t fear the obstacles, plan for them and make use of them when they come. That way, you will gain a sense of achievement either way.
The good news is, you can achieve your goal and become what you aspire to be!