Tim Ferris talks about Fear Setting, the excercise itself is fantastic, and if you have time you should definitely watch the video where he explains it in more depth.
Basically when making a decision he takes the worst case scenario outcome and breaks it into 3 steps define, prevent and repair.
He defines the worst case scenario, he writes out what to do to prevent it in the first place and then he writes out ideas for repairing it if things go awry.
Thinking this through is a brilliant strategy to reduce anxiety and allow you to make more fearless decisions, but thinking it through isn’t enough on its own.
The real magic is in writing it down.
I have gone from a person who kept track, and processed everything in my head to a person who writes almost everything down.
I make spreadsheets, I make charts, and I write notes to myself all of the time… just so I can see it in front of me.
It’s so brilliant to me that I have a spot to make notes and spreadsheets right on my phone, so I always have it with me, and it’s always confidential.
When I’m angry I write out my hostility before I address it with someone, when I’m sad I journal to find the true sadness in myself. (Hint, usually everything upsetting boils down to fear…look for the fear if you want to get to the bottom of it quickly).
I’ve learned that when you write your problems down, then sit back and look at what you’ve written, magically they seem manageable.
When you write solutions to your problems so you can see them, then they seem doable.
When you write a list of all of the things you have been stewing about, somehow there isn’t as much to stew about as you thought.
When you write an unsent letter to someone who hurt you, it takes the hurt away
Writing takes the big daunting things and makes them smaller.
It takes the pain and releases it.
It takes the crazy and makes it sane.
It takes the vision and makes it real.
But mostly, writing takes what’s inside of you and puts it on the outside of you.
Writing births into life what your mind has only stewed over.
It brings your thoughts, actions and fears out into the open where you can mold them and shape them into something real and tangible and shareable.
Writing is magic.