The Rocco Effect - Imagination is worse than reality

 

We suffer more often in imagination than in reality - Seneca

You made a mistake at work.  What will happen? The boss will shout at me, everyone will laugh at me, I'll get fired, the news will spread and no one will ever want to hire me.  Or will the boss understand everyone makes mistakes, tell you not to worry and to be more careful in the future?  What's the most likely outcome?

Why do we envision the worst outcomes?  Because that's the key to our survival.  Those who planned for the worst, survived.  Those that didn't got bite by a snake and died.

We should plan for the worst.  That's how we lesson the impact, should it happen.  But we should also be aware of the likelihood of it happening.  How wants the worst outcome?  No one.  No one benefits from the worst so we all do our bit to avoid it.  We also all want the best and work hard to achieve it.  With us all working to avoid the bad and to achieve the good how likely is it the worst will happen?  Does it make sense yourself sick with stress over these imagined outcomes?  

Comic

Task

If you are unsure of the future ask yourself...

1.  Has my worst predictions ever come true?

2.  What can I do to avoid the worst ?
3.  What's the most likely outcome?

4.  What would be the best outcome?

5.  How can I make this outcome come true?

6.  Take note of where the outcome lies (on a scale of worst - likely - best)

Journal Questions

1. What events where better than you imagined? 

2. What events where worse? 

3. What's your imagination stopping you from doing? 

4. Will things really be as bad as you imagine?