What If It All Goes Right?

Making decisions through the eyes of an optimist

When we face a major decision, our tendency is to ask, “What if I make the wrong choice and everything goes terribly wrong?” An article from one of my favorite thinkers and entrepreneurs challenged me this morning to consider the opposite angle: “What if it all goes right?”

In How To Make Decisions Like An Optimist, Josh Spector writes, “It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking only about what might go wrong when you make a decision. You focus on what will happen if your decision fails and obsess over how that failure will feel.” I’ve certainly been guilty of that.

In fact, I’m in the middle of some significant decisions myself, so Josh’s article arrived at a good time.

I’d encourage you to read the full article, but here’s a recap:

1. Assume success, not failure.

2. Look for reasons you can, not reasons you can’t.

3. Trust you won’t fall off a cliff.

4. Believe in others.

How can focusing on the powerful possibilities instead of the potential problems impact a decision you need to make today? Share in the comments and let’s talk about it!