What if it All Goes Wrong? Plot Twist!

I've been thinking a lot lately about why we're so conditioned to ask "What if it all goes wrong?" instead of "What if it all goes right?" It's something that's been weighing on my mind, especially as I navigate my own life transitions.

Here's the thing: our brains are literally wired to focus on the negative. It's not your fault, and it's not mine either. This negativity bias dates back to our ancestors who needed to stay hyper-alert to survive. Back then, missing a threat could mean death. Today, while we're not running from saber-toothed tigers, our brains are still scanning for danger by default.

The Science Behind Our Worried Minds

Research shows that negative events have a much greater impact on our brains than positive ones. In fact, it takes about three to five positive experiences just to outweigh the emotional impact of one negative experience. Our amygdala—the fear center of our brain—is more active when processing negative stimuli, which means we're hardwired to remember bad things more vividly than good ones.

If you've ever felt like your mind gets stuck on worst-case scenarios, know this: it's biology, not a personal failing.

But Here's the Good News

While we can't eliminate our brain's negativity bias, we can train it to focus more on what's going right. Think of it like building muscle—the more you practice positive, empowering thoughts, the stronger that mental muscle becomes.

This isn't about ignoring challenges or pretending everything will be perfect. It's about developing an unshakable certainty that you can handle anything that comes your way, both good and bad.

How to Shift Your Thinking

Practice awareness. When you notice your mind spiraling to worst-case scenarios, pause and ask: "Is this thought actually helpful? Is this fear-based or fact-based?"

Reframe the situation. Instead of asking "What's the worst that could happen?" try "What's the best possible outcome here?" or "Even if the worst happens, how will I handle it?"

Focus on what's going right. At the end of each day, write down three things that went well. They don't have to be big—sometimes it's as simple as making it to the gym or having a great conversation with a friend.

Build certainty in yourself. Reflect on past challenges you've overcome. If you handled that, you can handle this.

Visualize the best-case scenario. Spend a few minutes each day picturing what it would look like if everything went right. How would you feel? What would you do? Your brain loves visualization and will start looking for opportunities that align with your goals.

My Own Journey

As I've been shifting my focus from fitness to something even broader in my work, I've had moments where my brain goes straight to worst-case thinking. "What if this doesn't work? What if I'm making the wrong move?"

But then I stop and remind myself: What if this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing? What if this transition is leading me to something even greater than I can imagine right now?

By conditioning myself to think this way, I've been able to stay clear-headed, focus on what I can control, and keep moving forward even when things feel uncertain.

The Bottom Line

Your brain is wired to protect you, which is why it defaults to worst-case scenarios. But you are not your brain. You can train it to think differently. It takes practice, but the more you focus on what's going right and build certainty in your ability to handle whatever comes, the stronger your resilience becomes.

The next time you catch yourself spiraling into fear, I want you to ask yourself: What if it all goes right?

What if it's already going right?