Pretend it is not important, that it doesn’t matter. How much easier would it be for you to know what to do? How much more quickly and dispassionately could you size up the scenario and its options? You could write it off, greet it calmly.

But if they seem daunting, there’s value in lowering your emotional temperature. One way to do this is to buck the self-help trend of “visualizing your success.” Instead, do the opposite. Spend some time focusing on the worst-case scenario.

To be objective To control emotions and keep an even keel To choose to see the good in a situation To steady our nerves To ignore what disturbs or limits others To place things in perspective To revert to the present moment To focus on what can be controlled

There are a few things to keep in mind when faced with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. We must try: To be objective To control emotions and keep an even keel To choose to see the good in a situation To steady our nerves To ignore what disturbs or limits others To place things in perspective To revert to the present moment To focus on what can

The further you go down your “then what?” list, the more closely you can take a look at the fear behind the fear—and untangle thoughts that simply don’t belong.