Worry – Worry – Worry!

I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened. ~Mark Twain

Let me ask you a question. I am writing this on Valentine’s day. Can you tell me what you were worried about last Valentine’s day? How about Valentine’s day 2011? Here I’ll make it easier for you. On January 3^rd of this year, only 42 days ago, what was your number one worry?

If you’re like most of us you have no idea. And, do you know why that is? It’s because over 90% of the things we worry about, never happened. Yes, they never happened. But I bet your worries drove you crazy.

Maybe you couldn’t sleep because something in the future was going to take place. Or your kids faced an unusual challenge. Or, perhaps on a Friday afternoon your boss called and left a voicemail and she didn’t sound happy. Do you think you would have a great weekend? Probably not. I’ve experienced those calls and all weekend I would be asking myself, what did I do wrong? Why is she mad at me? My mind would be going crazy with fear and worry.

Did you ever have to give a speech or get up in front of your colleagues and make a presentation? Was it scary for you? For most people it is the epitome of terror. In fact more people fear public speaking than fear death itself.

As scary as it was when you finally had to give your talk it was nowhere near as frightening as your mind made it out to be in the weeks leading up to the event. The fact is for most people the daily fear and worry they feel regarding an upcoming event is often greater than the fear they feel at the time the event happens.

Why does this happen and what can you do about it. In my book, Overpowering Fear – Defeating the #1 Challenge in Sales and Life I talk about having to give a speech after accepting an award in New York City. For weeks leading up the speech I was a nervous wreck. Every day my mind raced as I came up with one excuse after another to try get out of it, including faking an illness. It was pure misery.

But at the moment I was called up onto the stage the fear seemed to disappear and I knew I would be alright. Isn’t that usually the way it happens? We allow our minds to generate nothing but negative and catastrophic thoughts which in turn cause the fear based feelings we feel in our bodies. It ruins our days, and our nights, and for what?

So, the next time you’re facing a scary challenge or are worried about some future event, remember that only one out of ten things you worry about ever comes to pass. And when that one thing does happen it is never as bad as you made it out to be.

Just remember the words of the immortal Alfred E. Neuman; What, me worry?

Love you,

Michael