Imagine The Worst-Case Scenario To Overcome Your Fears

imagine the worst-case scenario

Sometimes, you might be in situations where you are afraid to take action. What will people say? How will they respond? Is it right to do this? You have a lot of questions in your mind. In addition, you are also afraid of asking questions to others.

So, fear takes over. You are unsure of what to do next. As a result, you don’t do anything. You don’t take the action that you need to take. Instead, you just leave it.

What do you do in such situations? There is one thing that you can do that will make you feel good about doing it. However, it will not guarantee the results. Instead, it will make you feel good about taking action. As a result, your fear will be reduced or even vanished altogether.

What is the worst that could happen?

To overcome your fear, you have to imagine the worst-case scenario. What is the worst that could happen if you do it? Ask yourself that question. Imagine the worst happening and then, think of how you would deal with it.

Let’s take an example. Suppose you want to tell your dad that you are quitting your job. Your dad—who is an angry man—could flip out with your decision. So you are scared to tell him about you leaving the job. Before saying anything to him, think about the worst-case scenario. Your dad will yell at you, give you a million reasons why you should not quit, and maybe not speak to you.

In your head, you have these three scenarios that are the worst things that could happen. Now, imagine each of them occurring in reality. What will you do if your dad yells at you, gives you reasons not to quit, and does not speak to you?

Visualize

Visualization is a powerful technique in imagining the worst-case scenario. Take a few minutes of the day to sit down, close your eyes, and think about the situation. Then, see yourself in the worst condition.

Now, I want you to imagine yourself handling the situation without fear. It should look as if you were never afraid of the situation at all. Whatever happens in your head, whatever situation occurs, see yourself overcoming it easily.

Why The ‘Worst-case’ Technique Works

By thinking about the worst case, you are preparing yourself. It is like studying before taking a test. You have to be ready to face the questions. First, you imagine the questions that appear in the exam, and then, you will be answering them with complete confidence.

Thinking about the worst will give you the strength to handle the situation. It will boost your confidence to a higher level. Even though it has not happened in reality, it will feel like you have already been through the situation. So, when you are in it for real, it will be nothing new to you because you have already been through it in your head.

Sure, thinking about it in your head and facing it in real life will be very different. But I can assure you that your confidence to face the situation will increase, even if only a small amount.

You Have Nothing To Lose

Two things could happen if you imagine the worst-case scenario. The first thing is that the situation occurs as you had imagined it. In this case, you will have no problem handling it because you have already done it before (in your head). Yes, it might not be the same like you had imagined. But, as I said, you will have the strength to face it with confidence.

The second thing is that the situation does not occur as you had imagined. Instead, the opposite happens. The thing you had been afraid of, it was just in your head. Everything goes well. The other person positively takes things and supports you. If this happens, it is good. You will be happier and realize that you were afraid for nothing. You will understand that it was just in your head.

Final Thoughts

So, the next time you face a situation where you are afraid to do something or take action, imagine the worst that could happen. Live and feel the worst case. Then, in your head, see yourself handling the situation. You can also take notes and list out all the different situations that could happen. Then, next to each of them, write down how you would overcome them if they came to reality. That way, you will be extra prepared for whatever happens.

Fear is our worst enemy. It will leave us behind and stop us from doing the things we want to do in life. Everyone cannot handle fear easily. But still, imagining the worst can help you in some way, if not entirely.