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Am I Normal?thoughts

I immediately imagine the worst possible outcome when something seems to be going well

This is called defensive pessimism — a cognitive strategy where pre-emptively imagining bad outcomes reduces the emotional shock of failure while paradoxically motivating careful preparation. It is distinct from clinical anxiety in that it is often deliberately employed as a protective mechanism.

Have you ever done this?

Be honest — have you ever done this?

Related fact

The brain has a negativity bias — negative events require approximately 5 positive events to neutralise in memory, so the brain evolved to weight threats more heavily than opportunities.

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When on a plane, I involuntarily imagine it crashing even though I know the statistics61%I randomly replay embarrassing moments from years ago right before sleep87%I tell myself my feelings about something are not worth making a big deal of79%

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Today's Moral Dilemma
If you could choose to have unconditional optimism — always expecting the best — but lose your ability to prepare for problems, would you take it?
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