Planning has an endpoint: you consider options, make a decision, and act. “What if” thinking has no endpoint, because the goal isn’t solving a problem. The goal is avoiding uncertainty. You can plan your way out of “what should I pack for the trip?” You cannot plan your way out of “what if something terrible happens on the trip?” What If Thoughts: Why Your Brain Gets Stuck in Worst-Case Scenarios
~ Dr. Jud Brewer