Ep. 71: Two-Minute Tip — Worst Case Scenario Building
May 6, 2020
Exploring worst-case scenarios can surprisingly lead to greater freedom and focus. By envisioning the worst and assessing your ability to handle it, anxiety can be alleviated. This strategy allows for productive thinking and prepares you for any challenges that may arise. Instead of fixating on negativity, confronting fears can help clear mental clutter, enabling a clearer path toward success. The importance of preparing for the unexpected can empower you to aim for the best outcome while remaining grounded.
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Worst-Case Scenario Building
Imagine the worst-case scenario for a situation causing you stress.
Consider if you could handle it, relieving pressure and enabling focus on success.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Pandemic Planning
During the pandemic's impact on his business, David Allen used a spreadsheet to model worst-case financial scenarios.
This exercise helped him alleviate background concerns and focus on more positive outcomes.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Haircut Humor
David Allen humorously illustrates worst-case scenario thinking with a haircut example.
He jokes about the potential outcomes of not visiting a barber, from resembling his 1970s self to a surprise haircut from his wife.
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Two-minute Tips for Turbulent Times with David Allen Worst Case Scenario Building
I know this may sound a little strange, but one of the best and healthiest things you can do is to actually do a scenario of the worst case, and then imagine you getting through that. And could you handle it? Because the worst case scenario is likely to be banging around subliminally anyway. What you need to do is to relieve that pressure, and the way out is through.
The best thing to do is to sit down and figure out, what could the worst case be? Can I and could we, tolerate that? That will relieve a bunch of pressure and give you much more freedom to focus on wild success. Obviously you don't want to be dwelling on the negative picture. You don't want to sit there and be fatalistic or dwell in some sort of negative picture building. But you do want to go through that and take a look. That allows you a lot more freedom to then focus effectively and productively as you kind of shoot down the middle.
Prepare for the worst, or at least be ready for it, if in case it happens. Imagine the best, and shoot down the middle. My tip for turbulent times.
When the pandemic first hit, that very much effected our business, and our income, so I had to sit down and I just pulled up an Excel spreadsheet and ran the numbers for the next year or so. Could we tolerate it? Could we manage it? Yes we could. Now ideally we don't have to or won't have to do that. It allowed me the freedom to then not have that lurking in the background as some sort of a concern. Can I handle the worst case if I can't get to my barber for another month? Worst case might be I'll look like I did in Berkeley in 1970. Or maybe the worst case is I'll be attacked by my wife and her dog shearing tools while I'm asleep and wake up with something a little shorter then it is. Anyway, do the worst case scenario, get through it, relax, and focus on the best.
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