Worry in advance

I guess that worrying is just part of human nature, although some people do it much more than others. And it can be beneficial....worrying about things can lead you to do a better job and offset any potential issues in any given situation. But it can also be paralyzing and stop you from going after what you want. Particularly when it's "worrying in advance".


I heard that particular phrase about two years ago when I signed up for a teleseminar on the subject. And it's something that I used to excel at. Here's an example of worrying in advance as it would apply to job hunting.


Let's say I see a position listed that I think is perfect for me and my qualifications and background are a match. If it's in my current geographical area, I answer it and wait for a response. If it's in another state (one where I wouldn't mind relocating)...before I answer the ad (if I even do), a whole series of worries run through my head: "Would they pay me for come in and interview?", "Are they close to a major airport and can I get a direct flight?", "My house would need to be sold. What would I need to do first?', "How much are houses in that location? Should I rent or buy?". The next thing you know I am online looking at real estate in said location. All before I even answered the ad, much less interviewed and was offered a position.


I told this story example during the teleseminar as it was a very real scenario for me and it definitely got a few laughs. Why? Because it IS funny. And that's when I realized how many opportunities I was passing up because I was so worried about things that might never happen. Worrying in advance is a great excuse for not going after what you want.


So now if I see a job that I would like, I answer the ad and then wait for the next step to happen before worrying in advance about the outcome.


There's enough to worry about in the present....