Premeditatio Malorum: Prepare for the Worst

Most people spend their lives visualizing success. They imagine the win,

the money, and the applause. But the Stoics did the exact opposite. They practiced Premeditatio

Malorum—the premeditation of evils. They didn't do this to be depressed; they did it to be

invincible. Think about it. Anxiety is caused by the fear of the unknown.

By visualizing the worst-case scenario—losing your job, facing a health crisis,

or being betrayed—you strip that event of its power. You realize that if the worst happens,

you have the internal resources to endure it. Misfortune hurts most when it is

unexpected. When you rehearse failure in your mind, you transform a