The What If Syndrome

The "What if" syndrome...

A short time ago, we discussed Bob Bly's The 25 Secrets of Meaningful Success on his blog. His list is excellent and made me think of what I call the "what if" syndrome. It's the process by which we avoid success because of what could happen...the negative "what ifs".

• What if I fail in this?
• What if I screw up the advertising and make our money situation worse?
• What if the market just doesn't respond?
• What if I find out my book sucks?
• What if I lose my job and can't continue this route?
• What if they say no and don't hire me?
• What if my copy flops?
• What if my computer blows?
• What if my story falls flat and bores my readers?
• What if my ongoing illness keeps me from succeeding?
• What if the economy makes my market go bust?
• What if I fail? (always comes back to that, doesn't it?)

These are the negative "what ifs". The thoughts you should NOT be focusing on if you want to succeed in life. In no matter what you do. There are many, many more negative "what ifs" for your personal situation.

When these negative "what ifs" crop up, don't try to completely ignore them. They're an unwanted visitor that comes back time and time again, often refusing to ever leave.

MOLD them into positive "What ifs".

Why would you fail? What would cause you to fail in whatever you're doing? List the specifics of what would contribute to your failure in any given venture.

Let's say you're writing a fiction novel to send out to agents. Things that can make you fail are:

• What if you don't finish the manuscript.
• What if you run out of ideas.
• What if your plot runs out.
• What if your characters are lifeless blobs on the page.
• What if your grammar sucks.
• What if you finish it and then stick in a drawer to forget about it.

Look at those "what ifs" and learn how to avoid them.

• Form a daily writing routine and set goals for your novel.
• Learn how to plan your novel out by studying successful writers.
• Get a few books on plot development and study them.
• Get a few books on character development and study them.
• Study up on grammar and punctuation. Get The Elements of Style and keep it handy while you write.
• Study how to find agents and make a list of which ones accept your type of novels. Make a goal of querying them when your book is finished.

Find a writer in your niche that you admire. Someone who is making a living writing what you want to write. Study that person. Study the writer to the point that you absorb everything you can find on how they are so successful. What is their daily work routine like? What writing techniques do they reveal in books and interviews about their work? Visualize becoming a writer just like that person, and focus on the positive "what ifs."

• What if you do finish the manuscript?
• What if you have solid, exciting ideas throughout your story?
• What if your plot rocks?
• What if your characters are so full that it's difficult for the reader to remember these are fictional characters?
• What if your grammar is great and the words flow smoothly throughout the book?
• What if you finish it and find an agent who finds a publisher and demands more from you?

Imagine these positive "what ifs" coming true and visualize what your life will be like. Breathe into your visualization all those things you want to enjoy from your novel writing career. Don't concentrate on the money. The income is a means to an end. You need to concentrate on that end, and imagine being there. Concentrate on the satisfaction, the fulfillment of meeting your goals. Concentrate on the freedom you'll enjoy from the things you don't like in your life right now.

Use the above technique to cure the What If Syndrome. Use it to help you properly understand the goals you seek in your life and career. Use it to help you retain the positive attitude that will help increase your chances of obtaining those goals.

Negative thinking will cause you to hesitate and you risk going nowhere. Only with positive thinking can you be assured of a true step forward.