OptimismSoup.com

Now my husband would say “plan for the worst, expect the worst” I on the other hand say plan for the worst(a scout is always prepared) expect the best. Pessimist make my heart sad. Our Heavenly Father didn’t put us here on this earth to fail, if we have a mind-set that we plan for the worst and expect the worst then we plan to fail. BUT if have the mind-set to plan for the worst(be prepared,if ye are prepared ye shall not fear) then expect to succeed and plan to succeed you will succeed. Plan,(a goal not written is only a wish) execute the plan then reap the rewards for the hard work and positive thinking. Positive thinking and hard work got me the job I have and the beads I’ll soon be getting.

I would change this phrase to: Plan for the best, embrace the worst. How does this shift a person into a positive mental attitude or optimistic outlook? I was planning my first seminar and I was coming up with all the reasons why I should not hold it, primarily because of the fear of failing. I was visiting with my coach and he asked me a series of questions, the dialogue went like this:

Coach: What is holding you back from putting on the seminar?

Me: I am afraid the people I invite are not going to like it.

Coach: What is the worst that can happen if people don’t like it?

Me: They will tell me that it wasn’t good and I will need to change some things the next time I put on a seminar

Coach: What is the worst that can happen if you need to change some things for your next seminar?

Me: I will get better at presenting and my confidence will increase

Coach: So the worst that can happen is that your confidence will increase and you will improve, you will get better and someday your audience will come up to you and say, “I loved the seminar, thank you for changing my life.” So this is the worst that can happen.

As a result of shifting my mind into a state of optimism I was no longer concerned about the worst, I had embraced it with a positive mental attitude. As a result I continued planning for the best while embracing the worst that could happen.

I think you may have slipped. I have always heard it “Plan for the worst and hope for the best.” It seems that you have already tweeked it to be optimistic.