It’s funny, isn’t it? How the people who are best on their feet, who really don’t need to prepare, are often the ones with all the anxiety going into a conflict.
The clumsier thinkers and debaters should probably be really darn worried. But they aren’t. They should probably prepare at length, take some time to really question themselves and the wisdom of starting something. But they don’t, do they? They charge in, ready for the fight.
And they’re the last ones to realize that the fight isn’t going well for them. Usually it takes half a village of people arguing with them before they’ll even entertain the notion that they’re not winning. They never quite get to “maybe I’m wrong” or something sensible like “this was a bad idea.”
No, they’ll do anything they can at that point. Shift the blame. Counterattack. Try with a desperate fury to score points on technicalities even if to do so is random.
All the while they’re oblivious to the reality that they’re not winning at all. Or “pwning” anyone. Really, they’re embarrassing themselves.
So I see you there, friendo. You’re worried half to death about a situation that might turn ugly. But know this: If it does, I have full faith in your ability to think on your feet, to nudge things back onto the right path. Or at the very least, to escape a bad situation relatively unscathed (and most importantly with your dignity intact).
I know you’re terrified and have every possible action and outcome chalked up in front of your eyes like one of those football playboards in the movies.
And I know in that fear that you doubt yourself. That you worry incessantly.
But to me that fear is the surest sign that you’ll be fine. It feels the opposite — but that’s how fear is. And how confidence works. The people with the doubts usually know what they’re doing.