The Unexpected Downside of 'Plan B'

Ever heard the saying, "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst"? Sounds pretty sensible, right? Well, when it comes to achieving your goals, this research suggests that having a backup plan might actually hurt your chances of success. 😲

But wait! Before you get your pitchfork and torches I am not talking about the IT/Security concept of Backups, this article is aimed at life/career goals, backups are still important in tech.

Let's break it down.

The Comfort of a Safety Net

We all set goals, both big and small. And let's be honest, the thought of failing can be pretty uncomfortable. So, it's natural to create a "Plan B" – a safety net to catch us if we fall.

The research paper "How backup plans can harm goal pursuit" dives into this phenomenon. It argues that while backup plans can reduce the anxiety of uncertainty, they can also have a sneaky downside.

The Desire Dilemma

The study suggests that simply thinking about a backup plan can decrease your desire to achieve your primary goal. Why? Because that safety net makes failure feel less scary. And if failure isn't so bad, we might not push ourselves as hard to succeed.

Think about it this way: if you're absolutely determined to land that dream job, the fear of not getting it can be a powerful motivator. But if you've got a decent backup offer lined up, you might subconsciously ease up on the gas pedal.

I watched once a podcast interviewing the Youtube vlog legend Casey Neistat and got really upset when he said something like “Not having anything is a great motivator. Having someone else to motivate you is wrong, its too late if someone else has to motivate you other than yourself”. However after reading this research paper I have to admit he is not wrong. Looking at my career as well, the moments I achieved more and made a significant move towards my goals was when I was backed against the wall, nowhere to run. A good example of this was when I decided overnight to move to another city to pursue my goal of studying and later on working with security, or migrating to another country.

Effort vs. Luck

The research also highlights an interesting nuance: the impact of backup plans depends on the type of goal. If success relies heavily on your effort, having a backup plan can be detrimental. But if luck or innate talent play a big role, a backup plan might not hurt as much.

So, if you're training for a marathon, that backup plan of a relaxing beach vacation might make you less likely to hit the pavement. But if you're buying a lottery ticket, having a backup plan probably won't affect your chances of winning (or losing, for that matter).

This isn't to say you should never have a backup plan. Sometimes they're necessary and helpful. But it's important to be aware of their potential downsides, especially when it comes to goals that require dedication and hard work.

The intent of this post is to bring awareness to this topic, next time you want to pursue something, give it all you can. Your brain might go into overthinking mode and start building plans in case things don’t work out as you wanted. Remember to dismiss those thoughts as they are consuming brain power you should be using on your primary goal.

So, next time you're setting a goal, think carefully about whether a backup plan is truly necessary. And if you do create one, make sure it doesn't become a crutch that holds you back from going all-in on your primary goal. 🚀