Visualize the Worst to Live the Best

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When it comes to life, I tend to see myself as fairly optimistic. I believe in progress, I talk about hope, I champion happiness and purpose. And yet, there’s one very specific way I believe we should embrace pessimism, especially when it comes to purpose.

What am I talking about?

Negative visualization.

It’s a Stoic philosophy known in Latin as premeditatio malorum—literally, “the premeditation of evils.” And while that might sound like a doomscrolling nightmare, it’s actually a powerful tool for personal growth and fulfillment.

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The Ancient Roots of Negative Visualization

This practice was first articulated by the Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca, around 4 BCE. In his Letters to Lucilius, Seneca encouraged people to reflect on potential losses and misfortunes—not as a way to become paralyzed by fear, but to reduce fear and cultivate gratitude.

Epictetus, a former slave turned philosopher around 50 CE, taught that imagining adversity helps us develop resilience and detach from things beyond our control.

And Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor whose Meditations are still widely read today, practiced negative visualization as part of his daily spiritual training. He reminded himself constantly of impermanence so he could meet setbacks with equanimity.

These three thinkers didn’t just offer ancient wisdom. They offered practical psychological tools. And modern science is finally catching up.

Why Imagine the Worst?

Let’s bring it into today. Why would you intentionally spend time imagining failure, disappointment, or even death?

Doing so can help you live a more purposeful, peaceful, and present-focused life.

You’ve probably heard me talk about the difference between Big-P Purpose and little-p purpose. Big-P Purpose is goal-oriented—it’s your mission, your grand ambition, the summit you’re aiming for. But little-p purpose is about the process. It’s about the joy you feel doing something meaningful, even if there’s no big, shiny result at the end.

Negative visualization helps pull us out of the pressure of the Big-P and reminds us to embrace the little-p. Here’s how.

1. It Prioritizes the Process Over the Goal

When you assume you won’t reach your grand goal—whether that’s writing the book, launching the company, or climbing the mountain—you’re forced to ask yourself a deeper question: Do I enjoy the process anyway?

Negative visualization helps us let go of the outcome and focus on the experience. If you’re energized by the day-to-day, the journey becomes the reward. That’s little-p purpose.

2. It Makes Room for Happy Accidents

Let’s say your dream is to get to the summit of a mountain. But while climbing, you discover a breathtaking valley—a place you hadn’t planned to go to, but you love it. You decide to stop there, to stay, to explore.

By imagining that the summit might never happen, you allow yourself the mental flexibility to discover alternative sources of purpose and joy.

Some of the best parts of life happen when we veer off course. Negative visualization makes that possible by detaching you from a rigid path and helping you stay open to possibility.

3. It Helps You Avoid the Trap of Hedonic Adaptation

You know how when you finally reach a goal—a promotion, a new house, a personal best—you feel amazing… but eventually that feeling fades? That’s hedonic adaptation. We humans are wired to normalize even extraordinary achievements.

But if you practice negative visualization—if you regularly reflect on not achieving that goal at all—then whether or not you reach it becomes less important. You stop chasing highs that inevitably fade and instead anchor yourself in meaning now.

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When you stop fixating on outcomes, you free yourself from the trap of “I’ll be happy when…” and start living in the “I’m happy while…”

In Conclusion: Visualize the Worst to Live the Best

The ancient Stoics weren’t nihilists. They weren’t trying to depress you. They were deeply practical people who wanted to help others live better, wiser, more resilient lives.

So yes—imagine failing. Imagine things going wrong. Not to scare yourself, but to liberate yourself.

When you do this:

• You stop clinging to distant goals.

• You invest in the joy of process.

• You open the door to surprise and discovery.

• You protect yourself from the crash of hedonic adaptation.

In short, you build a more grounded, purpose-driven life.

Because here’s the paradox—the more we mentally prepare for what might go wrong, the more we’re freed up to embrace what’s right in front of us.