Everyone has experiences where they lay a lot down on the line, when you do this it's all about the risk. When you're taking a risk there are usually two outcomes; good and bad. Being a girl, we always overanalyze everything! So of course I was faced with an experience reccently which just so happened to include all of this, there it is me laying a lot down on the line, taking a risk, and overanalyzing it all. Now before I decided to take action I thought about the pros and cons of what I was about to do. After comparing them I decided to look at the outcome. When you make a decision there are essentially many outcomes but any outcome can be split into two catagories; good and bad. This is where it all goes into overanalyze overdrive, and it all becomes a "what if..." situation. In this specific case I thought the outcome would probablity favor the bad side. I really, really wanted a good resault but I automatically assumed it would end badly.
After I took the risk and made a decison, the outcome was a combination of good and bad, and not what I was expecting (I didn't I would be able to guess the right outcome anyways but I tired haha.) I started to think about the common phrase "expect the worst and hope for the best." I wasn't completely convinced that this is the right thing to do, so I posted a status on Facebook asking my friends their opinion about the phrase and this is what I got...
"it's a good preparation strategy, but it may effect your attitude in a way you don't want it to, it's hard to say...I guess it depends on the circumstances"
This is very true, I don't think it's the best preparation strategy but it is something we are guilty of at some point. This kind of attitude will effect you no matter what and in certain circumstances it isn't the best or for some it is. Using this strategy means you have to be careful and don't let it set you up for failure.
"All I can say on that is what president Monson said related to that; " your future is only as bright as your faith.""
Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet or President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon.) I am a Mormon and I know that what he says is true, this person quoted him saying "your future is as bright as your faith." This is one of those quotes that I believe in with all of my heart and something that I think about often. The relation this quote has with the phrase is that if you have faith that it will work out and you out forth the effort and try than the Lord will bless you. The outcome may not be what you want or even expect but if it is then score! and if not than learn from it and hey at least you can say you tried. If you try ( and I did) than have faith that the Lord will make the outcome exactly what you need.
"how about hope for the best and prepare for the worst"
To me hope and faith go hand in hand, if you hope and have faith for the best and prepare yourself for the worst than you aren't setting yourself for failure or dispointment. In a way you need to prepare for both the best and the worst because you're taking a risk and it is going to have an effect on you either way. If you hope for the best than the worst almost doesn't seem as bad.
"No way Ashlie.... Hope for the best, and have faith that it will happen. Then if not, you hope for something better!"
I love my friends and how smart they are. This friend is exactly right and as I already said hope and have faith for the best and if that doeesn't happen then learn from it and hope for more!
"I do that way if the worst happens it's easier to accept."
I disagree with this friend because in a way it doesn't make the worst easier to accept in my case.
"prepare for the worst and expect the best."
This was practically said already and the two important words are prepare and expect. Thats what decisions are about preparing and expecting but it all depends on you and your decisions.
"How bad is the worst, Ashlie?"
Now this is my favorite because she asked me directly "how bad is the worst? " My reply to her is, Ahh you got me! The worst isn't really that bad, well it feels bad at first but having faith means you should learn from it and not let it be the worst. Therefore the worst is what you make it and in this case the worst is not that bad, it may hurt for awhile and even cause some tears, but if I allow it, it can make me stronger and more confident in my future decision.
That last one really made me think and almost made me feel lame that I hadn't thought about it before. I can say after thi about it that way I am glad I made the decision and took a risk. As I have said my resaults were good and bad and I'm still not sure if I got the answer but I can look back and say that I don't regret and I know that if I hadn't taken the risk then I would have regreted it. Before I was expecting the worst and not even really considering the best but now, now I know next time I take a risk I'll hope for the best and learn from the worst. Thanks to all my friends who took the time to give me feedback and even to read this rampage. :)
