The What-If Mindshift: Why your brain defaults to fear—and how to train it to imagine opportunity.

“You can ‘what-if’ yourself to death,” she said.

She was right, of course. I’m an INFP, a first-born, a retired CEO, and a Capricorn (if you believe in the power of any of that). My reputation and whatever fame and fortune I have are born of careful planning, cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment.

But somewhere along the line, my careful threat analysis had devolved into an undercurrent of fear and bouts of catastrophizing.

It took a great deal of time and self-analysis to re-regulate my mindset, but I did it. And you can, too.

“What-If” and the Psychology of Fear

There’s a reason we are prone to paranoia; a bit wired to worry. We are imbued with a psychological survival mechanism called negative bias. We pay more attention to things that have a potentially negative impact upon us.

Because bad stuff can kill you.

Imagine you are faced with two sensory stimuli at the same time: You are walking in the woods, and you see a beautiful deer on the path ahead of you. At the same time, you hear a low, menacing growl from somewhere close behind you. Which immediately commands your attention?

Yeah. Negative bias.

It’s more than just a thought. Within 10 to 20 milliseconds after that growl is heard, your body initiates a response that rapidly affects many different areas of your brain, your breathing, heart rate, pupil dilation, digestion, muscle activation and a bunch of other real, physical things.

All of this is to say that your body takes the possibility of a threat—a “what-if” in the negative sense—very seriously. This reaction is good, because it is designed to increase your chances of survival.

The problem is that over time, your predictive brain tends to generalize that reaction; to see existential threat everywhere. Your protective negative bias warps into a catastrophic imagination that worries about everything.

The end result is that you view change as threat rather than opportunity; fear keeps you stuck in situations where you need to step forward with bravery.

Flipping the Script: From “What If Something Goes Wrong?” to “What If Something Goes Right?”

The first step to combat this deer-in-the-headlights “freeze” response is to realize what is happening. The next step is to realize that you have an incredibly powerful tool at your disposal.

You have the gift of choice.

Take the very common example of a person in the throes of a significant life transition; a parent whose last child has moved out of the house, or someone newly retired after a long and meaningful professional career.

A very normal and rational thought emerges: “I have always been a mom (or surgeon, or CEO or electrician); what is my identity now?”

Unchecked, the negative bias brain begins a reflexive, catastrophic, what-if campaign:

“What if I don’t matter anymore?”

“What if no one loves me now?”

“What if I get bored?”

“What if my life has no meaning now?”

“What if I end up alone?”

“What if this means my life is over now?”

You can choose a positive mindset based on well-being and purpose.

You can make the change immediately, right this very second, as you read this.

There is no cost, no penalty for changing your mind, no limits to what you can imagine for your future, and no one you have to ask for permission—it’s your life.

Research from the field of positive psychology tells us that your positive “what-ifs” have a beneficial effect on your mood, motivation and behavior, because imagined possibilities affect the nervous system (and therefore, the physical body) just like real situations.

This simple change in thinking is known as cognitive reframing, and it will change your “what-ifs” into a powerful engine for growth, purpose and transformation.

Your Creative Brain: Why Imagination Is Your Most Undervalued Skill

You don’t need to stifle the “what-if” thoughts, just redirect them:

“What if I rediscover hobbies that I stopped, because I didn’t have time?”

“What if I choose to indulge passions that were unrealistic until now?”

“What if I choose to create a meaningful legacy based on a hard-won lifetime of skills and experience?”

“What if I stop caring what other people think, and live my life true to my real, authentic self?”

“What if I choose to completely reinvent myself?”

“What if I choose to be happy, no matter what?”

Brain science, positive psychology, and plain-old observation tell us that these thoughts lead to real well-being, innovation and self-expression. In other words, they are the best way to get un-stuck and transform fear into agency.

Give yourself permission to shift your identity from “new grad” or “empty nester” or “retiree” to your most positive, “What’s next?”

You need only make the decision to choose a new beginning. Allow yourself to “what-if” yourself into the best phase of your life, no matter your age or situation.

Begin to imagine your new purpose: your best life begins with a better question.

Practical Tools: How to Use “What If” to Create the Future You Want

As is the case with any new endeavor, it takes practice to acquire the skill—the habit—of thinking positively about your future. Here are some mindset exercises to help with your goal-setting and visualization.

- The Double-Question Technique. When a fearful what-if comes to mind, write it down, and frame its positive counterpart:

“What will happen when I end this job (or school, or relationship)?” becomes “What do I want to do that is best aligned with who I am?”

“What if my life has no meaning now?” becomes “What if I can choose a better, happier path now?”

- The 1-Minute Rehearsal. Take 60 seconds (or longer, as you learn to hold your focus) to fully visualize your new, optimal life:

Write out the changes you want to make, in as much detail as you can. Then close your eyes and imagine your life in that new, positive environment. Use all your senses; taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight to immerse yourself fully in your new world.

Your brain (and body) will react in the same way as if you were really there.

- The Daily Ritual. Make this part of your daily routine, and do it without fail. Build your imagination muscle into an unstoppable goal-setting force:

Morning prompt: “What if today is the day I shift my mindset, my behavior and my future?”

Evening reflection: “What if I made more progress than I realize today? What if I’m closer to my new life than I thought?”

- Daily Micro-Practice. Make time to do at least one question and visualization each day.

Practice, as they say, makes perfect (but it takes perfect practice).

What If

What if you choose to set course toward a better future? You are going to move forward anyway; it might as well be in the direction of your choosing.

What if you consciously choose to leave behind the worry loops, chronic anxiety, burnout and stress?

What if you choose to maximize your mental and physical health, and your emotional mastery, and adopt positive daily thoughts and routines?

What if your realize that Gratitude Defeats Despair, and make conscious, mindful thankfulness a part of your daily life?

What if you make it a priority to Protect Your Peace and Pursue Your Purpose?

What if—right now—you adopt a Hardcore Happiness lifestyle? 

What if you decide to mindfully Create Your World?



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- JWW