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| The Gator Whisperer |
I once went hiking up a mountain with some friends. As we went higher the trail got thinner. In some places we were one small slip from plunging to the depths of Hell. Then there was a spot where the trail had been washed out. A jump of about three feet was required to go forward.
I was at the front of the group but I was so scared of missing the little jump that I stepped aside and let the others go first. I was in good shape and there was no reason to think I would have any trouble with the jump. However, the more I looked, the more I envisioned myself sliding down the mountain to my demise.
Seeing my friends make the jump should have helped. Instead, I was focused on the horrible consequences if I missed. Soon I was the only person who hadn’t made the jump. I was nearly paralyzed with fear and I seriously considered staying behind. My friends told me there was nothing to it. Finally, I took a deep breath and made the jump. It was no big deal.
When you spend too much time looking at a problem, it can seem bigger and more difficult than it actually is. Being careful is good, but overdoing it can keep us from moving forward.
Do fears sometimes hold you back? How can you recognize when sensible fear crosses the line to being irrational?If you got some value out of this post, share it with your friends. The sharing buttons are below.
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| Vasquez Rocks, CA |
During a trip to Los Angeles, I rented an SUV from Fox Rental Cars. The drive to my destination was about two hours. By the time I got there, I could tell something was wrong with the steering. It wasn’t bad enough to make the driving dangerous. There was just an unusual shakiness which was very annoying.
I only needed the car for a week. Even though I knew I could change to another vehicle, I didn’t want to waste my limited time driving back downtown. In L.A. traffic, going back and forth would have taken half a day. My shoulder started to ache on the second day and the pain got progressively worse. I’ve had considerable experience with pain and it soon got to a point where I literally could not shrug it off. I obviously needed another vehicle. When I called Fox, the service rep told me, “No problem. We’ll get another vehicle out to your address and pick up the one you have.”
I had assumed that I would have to blow several hours driving to the city in legendary L.A. traffic, changing out the vehicle, and then fighting the traffic a second time driving back. Instead, a vehicle was delivered to my door in a matter of hours. All I had to do was ask.
Anticipation isn’t always a good thing. When making a negative assumption, if at all possible, test it. You might find out you’re wrong.
Can you think of a time when you had negative anticipation and got what you expected? Can you see the value in having positive assumptions? Leave a message in the comments section.
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