DARE TO LIVE WITHOUT LIMITS: Worrying about what ifs

Have you ever been preoccupied, and at times consumed, with what ifs? Was your answer yes? Then you have a lot of company. It is all too common to worry about what may happen in the future or what would have happened in the past had we made different decisions. There is a significant difference between preparation and worry.

Worry is a waste of time and energy that yields no positive results. Preparation, on the other hand, is a proactive strategy for what lies ahead. Your mind is capable of conjuring up a limitless list of what ifs.



In the past, there are many things you would do differently if you only had the opportunity to do so. It's easy to get caught up lamenting how different your life would be today if you had made better, or different, choices yesterday. "What if you had done this?" or "What if I hadn't done that?" are questions you have probably asked yourself at one point or another.

As I'm sure you know, hindsight is always 20/20. But torturing yourself over past actions is completely useless. The past is over.

It can't be changed. The value of the past is what you can learn from it. Regardless of what has happened to you, there is a lesson that can be of value in avoiding the same mistakes next time.

Any energy spent on worrying about what you should have done is energy you don't have for constructive endeavors. Those who hang on to their past pollute their future. Let the past go and move forward.

Concentrate your efforts on today and being where you want to be tomorrow. Besides the what ifs of the past, there are the what ifs concerning the future. It's normal to wonder about what tomorrow has in store.

Fortunetellers and psychics are kept in business by all those people who want to look into their destiny. Regardless of what they may reveal, it's your behavior in the present which will influence your future. Fretting over the what ifs about your future is just as pointless as worrying about the past.

Unlike the past, your future is impacted by the actions you take today. Any time you spend speculating about what if this or that happens is squandered. Often the things people worry most about are those issues they have no control over.

The economy, weather, aging, and the actions of others, are just some of the future events that fuel what if scenarios. If you allow yourself to be distracted by circumstances beyond your control, you do more than waste your time, you detract from those things you do have influence over. You have control over how you think, what you think about, your own actions, and how you react to circumstances you encounter.

Rather than worrying about tomorrow, decide what you need to do in order to make progress towards your goals today. Successful people don't spend their energy worrying; they make decisions and keep their forward momentum. Although life has surprises, most of what people worry about never comes to pass.

Should something occur that you didn't expect, plan for, or want, don't stress with what ifs. The only thing to concentrate on is what should you do next. Monitor your thoughts to see how much time you spend worrying about what ifs.

You may be surprised that it is more than you thought. Replace the what ifs with a plan of action to achieve your goals. When you stay busy working for what you want, there will be little time for worry.

NOW AVAILABLE: "Dare to Live Without Limits," the book. Visit www.BryanGolden.

com or your bookstore. Bryan is a management consultant, motivational speaker, author, and adjunct professor. E-mail Bryan at bryan@columnist.

com or write him c/o this paper. © 2025 Bryan Golden.