Anticipation Quote by Cornell Woolrich
““After she's gone, another brief lull sets in. This one is probably the last. But what good is a lull? It's only a breathing spell in which to get more frightened. Because anticipatory fear is always twice as strong as present fear. Anticipatory fear has both fears in it at once - the anticipatory one and the one that comes simultaneously with the dread happening itself. Present fear only has the one, because by that time anticipation is over. ("New York Blues")””
About This Quote
Source Short Story: New York Blues by Cornell Woolrich, 1940
Anticipatory fear intensifies present terror because it contains both the imagined and actual dread simultaneously.
In simple terms: Fear of what may happen feels stronger than fear of what is happening.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and separate imagined fears from current reality.
Themes
fear
anticipation
psychology
anxiety
Mood
anxious
reflective
Type
psychological
advice
When to use this quote
- personal crises
- health diagnoses
- financial uncertainty
- relationship conflicts
Key Concepts
cognitive distortion
temporal perception
emotional intensity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does imagining worst‑case scenarios affect your current decisions?
- What strategies help you stay present when fear looms?
A Different Perspective
Anticipatory fear can be mitigated by grounding techniques and focusing on present facts.
![“[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only time will tell. For example...] The Talmud relates a story about two people who wanted to travel by boat. One broke his foot and was unable to make the trip, while his friend got on…” quote by Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/68d/zelig-pliskin-22951_anticipation_it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and_34545.jpg)
![“The only thing is that ordinarily when I do dance with [women] they think I am suddenly going to throw them over a table or twist them all around. All I want to do is one-two, one-two-three - a simple fox trot. But they're shaking with anticipation at the thought that I'm about to whip them around…” quote by Gene Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/073/gene-kelly-11878_anticipation_the-only-thing-is-that-ordinarily-when-i_44100.jpg)
