Prepare for the Best

We play mind games on ourselves all the time. The more you over think, and over analyze, the more irrational your expectations become. It's funny how while we prepare for a crucial conversation that we always set ourselves up to expect the worst. We prepare for "what if he says this?" and "what if she doesn't like when I say this?". We always expect that its going to go the opposite way of our desire. The more crucial, the more we think we're going to have to put up a fight........and we prepare accordingly. This isn't a bad thing, after-all thorough preparation is key to a crucial conversation. Allowing it to become assumably negative is where you can get yourself into trouble.

I find that more often than not, the conversation actually goes much better than we expect. We allowed ourself to paint a picture of a very negative environment, and it didn't have to be quite that negative after all. I'm not saying these conversations always end positively, I'm simply stating that they usually don't go as poorly as the expectation that we have created.

Here's where I find trouble.............then what? You have prepared to plead your case and fight the battle, and there is no positivity in sight. Then you get there, and there is no fight..........then what? You probably haven't prepared for this event, where there is an opportunity to actually build positive momentum. A key opportunity to get better is actually missed, because we have only prepared for the worst, but never prepared for the best. This happens in business, family, and friend relationships.....and in all aspects of life.

Never stop thoroughly preparing, but don't only prepare for the worst. You may miss an opportunity.