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<div class="question_description" style="word-wrap: break-word;"><div id="comment_43993"><div id="collapsed_content_43993">I don't always ask "what if", but when I do it's 0300 and I should be sleeping.</div></div></div><div class="question_actions actions" style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><div class="clear" style="color: rgb(77, 77, 77); font-size: 12px;"></div></div>
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1SG Christopher Turk
Sir,
I could not agree with you more. 0300 is about the time I am asking myself this. Normally I have something important to do the next and I am ensuring I have have everything prepared and ready to go. So, as the Master Chief said in a previous post, I start what ifing everything.
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I believe that it is human nature to ask "what if?" I think that all of us have a tendency to second guess our decisions and courses of action. I think that important thing is "how" you do that. Do you talk about "what ifs" with peers, with your battle buddy, if you are a 1SG do you talk about them with your CDR? Do you talk to about it to your significant other? With your Chaplain? I think that it is important to think about how things may have went if another COA was selected. It helps us to continue to grow. I think that it becomes unhealthy if you dwell on the "what ifs" and they become a detriment to your ability to make current and future decisions.
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1SG Christopher Turk
MSG S,
Great post. I normally ask what if during my planning processes. It is my way of doing risk management I guess. It is really easy to over think things though. If you "What If" something to death, then, as you stated, it can become unhealthy and a detriment. I also, usually get a second opinion. Sometimes you just need that sanity check. Not all great ideas are truly great. Thanks for becoming involved in the thread.
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1SG Steven Stankovich
Roger that 1SG...we are always looking for that sanity check. Only those in positions of responsibility will thoroughly appreciate what a sanity check is...
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CMC Robert Young
Don't. It only leads to more "what ifs?" Once it starts there's no end. ;-)....you just can't stop.
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PO2 Steven Erickson
Like you, SPC Christopher Smith, I am a human being, and ask myself that question EVERY DAY. I'm not saying it has value every time I ask it of myself, but...
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The problem 1SG is that question is the deadliest question of all.
For Higher Echelon it is What if we put a unit here, but then what do we do there.
For Local Command Teams, What if we dont make the training real enough to make it stick in the soldiers memory.
For the Soldiers, What if I had done something different that day, someone might still be here.
That question is so absolutely helpful and deadly all at the same time, perspective is the only thing that changes from one side to the other on those scales.
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It is human nature to do so. I think back to "What if I had gone to college first, after HS?" I would have been YG1996 and a LTC now, but when I was an Aide my General reminded me that I wouldn't be the person I am today. To be cliche, everything happens for a reason. We all are products of our life experiences.
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Every. Single. Day.
"What if I hadn't gotten out"
"what if I hadn't hurt my back"
"What if that round had been a little more to the right"
what if . . . . .
"What if I hadn't gotten out"
"what if I hadn't hurt my back"
"What if that round had been a little more to the right"
what if . . . . .
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1SG Steven Stankovich
All valid questions SPC Morehouse. Each one of those we, especially you, wish there was an answer to. With that being said, try not to dwell on the "what ifs." We will all do that. Each one of us carry some memory of the "what if" with regards to a mine, an explosion, a bullet etc. Dwelling on that will only take away what life we have left. Take advantage of the "right nows." Take advantage of the life that is in front of you.
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On a couple of occasions I asked myself this the first was if I hadn't turned down OCS where would I be as an officer and another was when I had to go through an MMRB for being a P3 in hearing, I had the chance to reclass and decided to stay with the known evil of being infantry instead of the unknown directed MOS change by HRC.
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All contingency planning begins with "What if?' I ask more and more often as I get closer to the top of the food chain.....all it requires is a vivid imagination and a healthy dose of pessimism.
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What if? I have done that alot lately, but if ya dwell on it too long, you will miss the present and alot of things-such as happiness and life.
For me, that is a question I have asked myself alot lately and learnt first hand what I am missing-in planning it is one thing, but to ask and dwell, well that is no fun. I have learnt to live for today and embrace life and hope we all can do the same-live life to the fullest without regrets of the past
For me, that is a question I have asked myself alot lately and learnt first hand what I am missing-in planning it is one thing, but to ask and dwell, well that is no fun. I have learnt to live for today and embrace life and hope we all can do the same-live life to the fullest without regrets of the past
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