Worst Case Scenario Journal
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The document discusses using a daily journal based on Stoic philosophy to build resilience. It recommends writing down the worst possible thing that could happen each day in the morning. Then checking it off as yes or no in the evening to see if it actually occurred. Over time, practicing this exercise conditions people to expect and be less anxious about negative outcomes that are outside their control. Two ancient Stoic examples are provided of philosophers who practiced similar exercises by voluntarily living with less possessions or expecting others to act poorly. The goal is to strengthen people against life's difficulties by mentally preparing for negative scenarios.
Worst Case Scenario Journal
- 1. Riding a raft down white water rapids, a master has no more control over the water than you do. The difference is that a master is in control of being out of control. - Werner Erhard
- 2. I can only control the mayhem that I create around me. - Hannah, Girls
- 3. Worst Case Scenario (working title)
- 4. A daily journal What is it?
- 5. You’ll learn to expect the unexpected. Why should I use it?
- 6. In everyday situations, we want to be calm, but instead we end up anxious. - What if I get fired? - What if I get rejected? - What if I look stupid?
- 7. Stoicism, a philosophy practiced thousands of years ago, can help strengthen us against the worst that fate throws at us. How? By mentally adjusting to the worst, and realizing it’s not so bad.
- 8. & the more you practice, the more resilience you build. use it every day!
- 9. a few old ancient stoic examples
- 10. “Set aside a certain number of days, during which you shall be content with the scantiest and cheapest fare, with course and rough dress, saying to yourself the while: ‘Is this the condition that I feared?” - Seneca
- 11. Seneca understood that possessions make us worry about downside. What if I lose all this stuff? So he took his own stuff away, and realized it wasn’t that bad.
- 12. another one
- 13. “When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous and surly… But to feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are unnatural.” - Marcus Aurelius
- 14. Anger usually stems from expectations clashing with reality. How other people act, is totally out of your control, so it doesn’t make sense to get upset about it.
- 15. How it works
- 16. Do this one simple thing.
- 17. Every morning, assume the worst possible thing will happen that day.
- 18. Today I might lose..
- 19. Today I might have to deal with:
- 20. In the evening, check what you wrote.
- 21. Did it happen? YES NO
- 22. That’s it.
- 23. After using this journal for a while… You’ll learn to expect the unexpected.
- 24. * Like losing all your stuff. * Or dealing with a difficult colleague. And it won’t be that bad.