To What Degree Can You Change the Situation by Worrying About It? | by Jenny Slukynsky
There’s a quiet lie many of us believe: that worrying is responsible. That if we think about something long enough - turn it over, analyze it from every angle - we’re somehow preventing it from going wrong. But here’s the honest question: To what degree can you actually change a situation by worrying about it? If we’re brave enough to answer it truthfully, the number is usually very small. The Illusion of Productivity Worry masquerades as action. It feels like effort. It feels like preparation. It even feels like control. But most worry lives entirely in the mind. It doesn’t send the email. It doesn’t have the conversation. It doesn’t make the plan. It doesn’t move the body. It just loops. And looping is not leading. There’s a meaningful difference between: Problem-solving Planning Preparing and simply rehearsing worst-case scenarios Only the first three create change. What Worry Actually Changes Worry can change a few things, but they’re usually internal: ...