We might not all be great fiction writers but we certainly have the capacity to make up many stories, in our heads, of events that haven’t happened yet.
We can create some amazing stories on where things might go with a particular situation, what other people do or think, and what happens next based on that.
We spend sleepless nights working through the scenarios. But in our “choose your own adventure” story, how many times does it really come true? How many times do we get the outcome we’ve spent time worrying about?
We get sucked into these rabbit holes for many reasons but one critical factor we often miss is the gap in information.
We fail to ask questions to inform us. The questions might be too difficult or awkward so we avoid them.
Instead of knowing the answers upfront, we defer to waiting, hoping, and fantasizing.
We go into story mode.
That’s easier than the alternative. But harder on us, mentally.
Remove the worrying. Remove the doubt. Remove the 20 questions inside our heads.
Ask that upfront. Be direct. Be transparent.
Whatever is going to happen is going to happen anyway.
Instead of waiting until the cliffhanger at the end of this story, we might as well change the narrative starting out.
Maybe we can create a whole new story out of it.
This time, one that is non-fiction.