Save 90 for the 10

Marty always says that inspiration is all around us – you just have to look for it. I find that to be exceedingly true, especially when traveling.

Recently, I took an Uber and the driver was listening to a book on tape. When he picked me up, he asked if there was anything I wanted to listen to, but I declined, and he continued with his book. At first, I wasn’t really paying attention. I was more focused on making sure I had all my belongings and getting to my destination on time.

Once I settled in, I started to listen more closely. I’m not sure what the book was, but it was some sort of self-help and positive self-talk theme. What stood out to me was a section on worry and projections.

As a self-proclaimed worrier and catastrophizer, always assuming the worst outcomes, I often find myself creating worst case scenarios in my head. But what I heard from the audio book struck me. The author said, “90% of the things we worry about never come true. Nine times out of ten, what we have created in our head does not come to fruition. Think of all the wasted energy you have spent worrying!”

The author argued that if we spend our time worrying about scenarios that 90% will never happen, when that 10% scenario occurs, we are so worn out from worrying that we don’t have the energy to address the situation to the best of our ability. The author argued that instead of spending energy worrying about the “what ifs”, we would be better served letting the chips fall where they may, and dealing with the situation as it occurs.

As a planner, this isn’t always my go to frame of mind. I like to control every detail, have a plan for every possibility. But that’s not sustainable! I’ve run myself ragged with worry before anything even happens.

I’m not arguing that we should not prepare ourselves or have some forward thinking, but perhaps shifting some of that worry and letting go just a bit would serve us all better than holding too tightly.

Let’s save 90% of the worry for the 10% that does occur. I’m not a statistician, but that seems like better odds.

Until next time…we are Advoco, make every minute count.

About Molly: Molly Hallman is our Engagement & Experience Coordinator, helping the marketing team with all things writing related, websites, social media, and events. When she’s not telling the Advoco story, she’s spending time with her dogs and her husband in pursuit of Greenville’s best hot dog (current favorite: the mac and cheese dog from the Greenville Drive Stadium.) Got a question for Molly? Send her an email!

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