- Tools
- Fear Setting Canvas
Write down the worst case, then decide
A full-screen worksheet for fear-setting, the exercise Tim Ferriss uses before a hard choice. Define what could go wrong, how you would prevent or repair it, what trying could give you, and what waiting will cost.
- 3 pages and a summary
- SVG, PNG or print
- Free, no account
Three pages, the way Ferriss does it
He first wrote about fear-setting in The 4-Hour Workweek (2007) and set out the three pages in his 2017 TED talk, “Why you should define your fears instead of your goals.” The idea goes back to the Stoics, who rehearsed what could go wrong so it would hold less power over them.
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Page 1
What if I…?
Name the choice you keep putting off. List the worst things that could happen if you did it, in three columns.
- Define the worst case, in plain words.
- Prevent: what would stop it or lower the odds.
- Repair: how you would recover, or who could help.
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Page 2
The benefits of an attempt
What might you gain from trying, or from even a partial success? Confidence, skills, money, people, and what you would find out about yourself.
- Counts the half-success, not only the best case.
- Rate how much it would matter to you.
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Page 3
The cost of inaction
If you avoid this, what does life look like in 6 months, in 1 year, and in 3 years? Emotionally, physically and financially.
- One box for each point in time.
- Quick starters for each of the three angles.
Start from a filled-in sheet
Each one opens the worksheet with every page written out, so you can see what a finished sheet looks like, then clear it and write your own.
- What if I pitch myself to lead the new project? Lead the new project Putting yourself forward at work when you are not sure you are ready. Open this example
- What if I leave my job and freelance full time? Leave a job to freelance The classic one from the talk. Quitting steady work to work for yourself. Open this example
- What if I move to the city I keep visiting? Move to a new city Leaving somewhere comfortable for a place you have been thinking about for years. Open this example
- What if I tell my sister how much the last year has hurt? Have the hard conversation Saying the thing to a partner, parent or friend that you have been rehearsing for months. Open this example
What the worksheet does
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Walks you through it
One page at a time, with Ferriss's prompts on each. Add as many worst cases and benefits as come to mind; every field grows as you type.
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Weighs your answers
Four 1-to-10 ratings tip a balance on the summary: how lasting and how likely the worst case is, against what trying could give you and what waiting costs. It shows your judgement, not a prediction.
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Ends on one step
The summary puts everything on one page with a line for the first small step and when. Download it as SVG or PNG, print it, or copy it as text.
Questions
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What is fear-setting?
An exercise Tim Ferriss described in The 4-Hour Workweek and in his 2017 TED talk. You write down the worst that could happen if you act, how you would prevent or repair each one, what even a partial success could give you, and what not acting would cost you in six months, a year and three years. It borrows from the Stoic habit of rehearsing what could go wrong.
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How long does it take?
Plan on 20 to 40 minutes for a first pass. Ferriss suggests listing 10 to 20 worst cases. You can start with three and add rows as more come to mind, and come back later; the sheet stays where you left it.
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Where is my worksheet saved?
In this browser, after every change. If you are signed in, it is also saved to your HourLife account, so it opens on your other devices, and you can delete it there in Settings. Signed out, nothing you write is sent to HourLife or anyone else. Clearing your browser data removes it, so download the SVG or PNG, print it, or copy the text if you want to keep a copy.
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What does the balance on the summary sheet mean?
It weighs four 1-to-10 ratings you give. On one side, how lasting the worst case would be and how likely it is. On the other, how much an attempt could give you and how heavy the three-year cost of waiting feels. It shows your own judgement side by side; it is not a prediction or a score of the decision.
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Can I export or print it?
Yes. The summary sheet downloads as an SVG or PNG image, prints on one page (your print dialog can save it as a PDF), and copies as plain text you can paste into notes or an email.
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Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The pages stack into one column and every field grows as you type. Writing a long list is easier with a keyboard, so a laptop suits a first pass and a phone suits a quick review.
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Is fear-setting a substitute for therapy?
No. It is a planning exercise for a choice you keep putting off. If fear or anxiety is getting in the way of daily life, talk to a doctor or a licensed therapist.
Keep going
Put the fear on paper
Your sheet is saved in this browser as you type. Nothing you write is uploaded.
Keep this going in the app.
HourLife turns these ideas into a daily system — goals, habits, focus, and reflection in one private place.
