Practical Stoicism newsletter #5: What if everything goes wrong?
Happy Monday, fellow Stoics!
In previous weeks we've looked at ways to set goals, hold yourself accountable, and think of the bigger picture. If you only recently joined this newsletter, you can read the previous newsletters here.
This week we'll have a look at the Stoic practice of negative visualization.
Ancient Roman Stoics called this exercise premeditatio malorum; “foreseeing bad things”.
Often misunderstood, negative visualization is a very powerful thinking tool. It all starts with the question “what if…”. You then think of a future situation you'll face, and of the things that can go wrong.
As Stoics, we want to be virtuous. This is easy when life goes as planned, but when shit hits the fan we tend to be overtaken by emotions. Negative visualization is a way to prepare our minds so that when things do go wrong we’ve already rehearsed the proper action.
Key here is that we don't worry about things that might happen. We're realists, and consciously preparing in advance will give us strategies to cope with whatever may happen.
An example of applied negative visualization
Let me share one personal experience where negative visualization helped me: losing my job.
This happened right around the time I started doing negative visualization. I had not expected to lose my job, and I had not yet contemplated the possibility. Still, I used the exercise to my advantage as soon as I was delivered the news.
When I got home that day I sat down and thought of all the things that could happen. I pictured myself without a job for months, not being able to find a new gig to pay the bills. I saw myself running out of money, losing all my savings. I then thought of how I would be kicked out of my house for not making rent.
After about 10 minutes of contemplating everything that could go wrong, I noticed I started to think in solutions.
A quick calculation showed me that I could stay afloat for months, even without taking into account my severance package. I then remembered my family telling me some time ago I could always stay with them if needed. Finally, I realized the job market was booming, and that I was living in the startup capital of Europe.
My frown soon turned into a smile.
Visualization helped me see the bright side of the situation. I hadn't been happy in my job for a while but didn't think of changing out of fear. Now that I was forced to look for a new challenge, the world seemed full of possibilities.
Within an hour of starting the exercise, I had scribbled down a plan. I focused on what was in my control, and thought of the cool jobs I could interview for. My anger had evaporated and weirdly enough I was quite joyful.
The next day I set my plan in motion with full focus, and only 2 weeks later I landed an awesome job. I’ve not gone without a job for even one day!
Negative visualization helped me prepare for the worst-case scenario and then forced me to think of solutions within my power.
Useful articles to learn negative visualization
Why you should define your fears instead of your goals - Tim Ferriss is a well-known practicing Stoic who has done a lot to popularize Stoicism. In this TED talk Tim tells how negative visualization has helped him overcome life-threatening situations and reduce his anxiety.
How to Practice Stoic Negative Visualisation - Here are 7 easy steps to start doing negative visualization, including pointers on how to make it a habit.
Negative Visualization: The Stoic Practice to Become Mentally Stronger - I link to NJlifehacks a lot, for the simple reason they always produce actionable gems of wisdom. This article by Jonas Salzgeber contains not only why this exercise works but also proposes several versions of negative visualization. A must-read!