Tim Ferris¶
This page summarizes various interesting thoughts presented by Tim Ferris.
Fear setting (practice)¶
In his TED talk “Why you should define your fears instead of your goals” [ted-talk-1] Tim makes references to stoicism as a framework that helps us navigate the difficult times in life.
He proposes an exercise he terms fear setting which consists of methodically defining your fears and examining their potential consequences. Tim suggests doing this every three months.
Part 1: What if¶
Define your fear by completing the sentence: What if I _____?
Example: What if I apply for a new job?
Then write down three sets of bullet points. This should capture all of your fears about what could happen as a result.
The goal is to understand these fears and to evaluate them rationally - how likely are they to happen, can the outcome be prevented and what would you do if “the worst possible thing” really did happen?
| What could happen? | How could I prevent it or make it less likely? | How could I repair it? |
|---|---|---|
| I might not get it. | Read the job posting carefully and make sure I understand what they’re looking for, then target my pitch accordingly and prepare myself well. | No harm done – I still have my current job. |
| I could end up disappointed. | Understand that a job opportunity is never a sure thing. | Realize that there will be other opportunities. |
| … | … | … |
Part 2: What are the possible benefits of trying?¶
Answer the question: What might be the benefits of an attempt of partial success?
The formulation of the question is intentional: We often think to ourselves that making an attempt to do something has only two possible outcomes: complete success or complete failure. In reality, there are many more possible outcomes in between.
The goal here is to understand what you can gain from trying.
Example:
- I might learn more about the job I want to have. It will likely help me to make a more successful attempt at a similar job in the future.
- I might gain some interview practice.
- I might make new contacts during the hiring process that could benefit me later.
- I would prove to myself that I’m able to take action when there is something I want. Taking action this time (even if I don’t get the job) might make taking action more probable next time there is something I want, because I see myself as a person who is not afraid to try.
Part 3: The cost of inaction¶
Answer the question: If I avoid taking action, what might my life look life in… six months, one year, three years?
| In six months | In one year | In three years |
|---|---|---|
| I regret not applying for that job, I still wish I had | I’ve exhausted all opportunities for growth in my current job – I feel stuck | I have lost my current job because I’ve stagnated too much |
| I don’t feel motivated at work anymore. I now go to work as a force of habit | I’m starting to think that work is not that important to me anymore, because I don’t get as much out of it as I used to think. I’m not investing much in my career anymore. | |
| … | … | … |
—
| [ted-talk-1] | Why you should define your fears instead of your goals |