What would happen if… click here to find out
…is my favorite question. As soon as you ask it, a new opportunity presents itself. Stop for a second and as yourself a what if. Make it big one.
Have one? Well then now you’re faced with a choice. Should I or shouldn’t I? … Unfortunately, the unknown result of following through on what ifs often steers us back to our comfort zone and we carry on without giving your potentially life-changing what if a fair chance. Which is why I always follow-up what ifs with this question:
What’s the worst-case scenario?
Even the worst-case scenario has benefits. Chances are you won’t die, you can always get back up on your feet, and you’ll have new experiences to learn from.
Ironically, a clear understanding of the worst-case can bring a sense of peace and help you take a step towards the open door your what if question opened.
This same habit of asking “what ifs” followed by a comparison of the worst (and best) case scenario is what triggered me to start my first business, to live out of my car for a year, to move to Thailand and what I give most credit to for an eventful life.
Of course, none of that would’ve happened if those “what ifs” never had a fair consideration. So that leads us to…
Pulling the Trigger
Now that we know the stakes for failure and success, making the decision whether to follow through or not is a just a matter of weighing the potential pros against cons. Factoring your risk for failure/success, if the pros outweigh the cons, go fucking do it.
Thoughts, questions and knowledge without action is just useless information. “Action is the secret to success” – Tony Robbins (who fed 10 million children last year).
Do Me a Favor
Fill in this blank below and leave your response in the comments:
Matt, what would happen if you __________ ?
I’ll reply with what I assume is the worst case scenario and if the potential pros out-weigh the cons, I’ll do it.
Do You a Favor
Is the worst case scenario all that bad? If not, be brave and take action. If it is, tweak your “what if” to find a less-risky action you’re that you’re actually willing to take.
The widget below was created to help you take action on your “What if” questions. By weighing the risk with the worst and best case scenario, you’ll have a clear vision to make a confident decision where or not to follow through.
Here are some “What Ifs” from others:
Tweet some encouragement at them.
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