LXV (65) For Optimists:

For Optimists:

What’s the worst that can happen?

The worst case scenario for the risks that we take, is that we die as a result of something that we try. I don’t know the statistics on this, but I don’t think that most people die as a direct result of trying new things. I would venture to guess that for most of us, it's just dumb luck, the cosmic joke. Our time will come when it’s our time to come, not because of anything we say, do or don’t do.

To be clear, mask up, and get your vaccine shots when you can. Taking that kind of precaution, following traffic rules, preventing wars, these are about preventing unnecessary death for many people, not just about our individual lives. To be clear, I’m not a nihilist, I Alec The Third believe that there is a purpose to this life, but it is what you make it.

So I choose to be optimistic, while at the same time understanding that it won’t last forever. All the more reason to enjoy this moment. So if we know that the worst case scenario is death, because we can’t come back from that, and that most of our decisions aren’t actually life and death, then it leads to a question.

What are you waiting for, and why are you hedging your bets?

Most likely it’s F.O.P.O. a term Michael Gervais the sports and performance psychologist for the Seahawks coined, which means the Fear of Other People’s Opinions. The irony is that FOPO leads to FOMO, fear of missing out, or worse actually missing out on opportunities because you were too afraid to try. And who’s opinions are we afraid of? Who would actually ridicule you for trying something new?

Probably those who are too afraid to try themselves, and we don’t need to listen to those people. They aren’t in the arena, and they’ll never understand fully until they’re brave enough to join. And maybe they’ll join because they saw you. So take the first step.