--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I’m afraid, I always ask myself…" description: "\"“When I’m afraid, I always ask myself, what’s the worst that can happen?” Chapter 5 · Page 41 · Location 733”\" — Louise Penny" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/louise-penny-1059_afraid_when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what_1125370.png" --- # When I’m afraid, I always ask myself, what’s the worst… ![“When I’m afraid, I always ask myself, what’s the worst that can happen?” Chapter 5 · Page 41 · Location 733” quote by Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/louise-penny-1059_afraid_when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what_1125370.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/louise-penny-1059_afraid_when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what_1125370.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/louise-penny-1059_afraid_when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what_1125370.png) > ““When I’m afraid, I always ask myself, what’s the worst that can happen?” Chapter 5 · Page 41 · Location 733”” [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When afraid, confronting the worst‑case scenario reduces anxiety and clarifies options. **In simple terms:** Ask “what’s the worst?” Key Takeaway Face fears directly. Themes fear decision‑making anxiety confidence Mood calm analytical Type practical philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - career planning - emergency preparedness Key Concepts psychology risk assessment self‑help Questions to Reflect On - What worst‑case outcomes are realistic? - How does this question change your actions? A Different Perspective Can amplify worry for some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ## Related quotes > [First ask yourself: What is the worst that can happen? Then prepare to accept it. Then proceed to improve on the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/first-ask-yourself-what-is-the-worst-that-can-happen-then-prepare-to/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [Next time, ask: What's the worst that will happen? Then push yourself a little further than you dare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/next-time-ask-what-s-the-worst-that-will-happen-then-push-yourself-a/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [In life, you don't get what you deserve. You get what you negotiate. So don't be afraid to ask - the worst you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-tsai/in-life-you-don-t-get-what-you-deserve-you-get-what-you-negotiate-so/) [Christine Tsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-tsai/) > [Life is like a novel. You can guess what will happen on the next chapter, but you will not know until youre there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-like-a-novel-you-can-guess-what-will-happen-on-the-next/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Usually the characters are where I start. Then I continually ask myself, 'What's the worst thing that could happen to this character?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/usually-the-characters-are-where-i-start-then-i-continually-ask/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [During job interviews, when they ask: 'What is your worst quality?', I always say: 'Flatulence'. That way I get my own office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-thompson/during-job-interviews-when-they-ask-what-is-your-worst-quality-i/) [Dan Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-thompson/) > [The rule for finding plots for character-centered novels, which is to ask: 'So what's the worst possible thing I can do to \*this\* guy?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/the-rule-for-finding-plots-for-character-centered-novels-which-is-to/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [“People always ask, "What's the worst thing heroin drove you to do?". I always answer, "showing up on Maury .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/people-always-ask-what-s-the-worst-thing-heroin-drove-you-to-do-i/) [Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/) > [“Reach for the moon the worst that can happen is you will fall among the stars”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-orlando/reach-for-the-moon-the-worst-that-can-happen-is-you-will-fall-among/) [Tony Orlando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-orlando/) > [When we face the worst that can happen in any situation, we grow. When circumstances are at their worst, we can find our best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-kubler-ross/when-we-face-the-worst-that-can-happen-in-any-situation-we-grow-when/) [Elisabeth Kubler-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-kubler-ross/) > [Always think, 'what's the worst that can happen' and have some kind of strategy to deal with it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/always-think-what-s-the-worst-that-can-happen-and-have-some-kind-of/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [“You're a vampire, Richie. And I've got a gun the size of Nebraska. What's the worst that could happen?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey/you-re-a-vampire-richie-and-i-ve-got-a-gun-the-size-of-nebraska-what/) [Mike Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey/) > [I think the worst that can happen in filmmaking is if you're working with a storyboard. That kills all intuition, all fantasy, all creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/i-think-the-worst-that-can-happen-in-filmmaking-is-if-you-re-working/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [“Shoot for the moon, the worst that could happen is you land amongst the stars”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-brown/shoot-for-the-moon-the-worst-that-could-happen-is-you-land-amongst/) [Les Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-brown/) > [What's the worst that could happen? Everyone turned me down; big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/what-s-the-worst-that-could-happen-everyone-turned-me-down-big-deal/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) ## More by Louise Penny > [“Whale oil beef hooked,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/whale-oil-beef-hooked/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“I am tired,” Gamache murmured as he walked into the gentle little village. “But I am at peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/i-am-tired-gamache-murmured-as-he-walked-into-the-gentle-little/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“She picked up her book and tried to read but it was heavy in her hands. She struggled to hold it, wanting to finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/she-picked-up-her-book-and-tried-to-read-but-it-was-heavy-in-her/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“We’re used to the film versions of psychopaths. The clearly crazies. But most psychopaths are clever. They have to be. They know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/we-re-used-to-the-film-versions-of-psychopaths-the-clearly-crazies/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Instead he stood erect, the snow insinuating itself down his collar and up his sleeves, plastering against his face and into his unblinking eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/instead-he-stood-erect-the-snow-insinuating-itself-down-his-collar/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“He was an emotional communist. Everyone counted equally, but none too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/he-was-an-emotional-communist-everyone-counted-equally-but-none-too/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [I turned down all the requests for the rights to the books, for years, mostly because they wanted the rights to the characters, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/i-turned-down-all-the-requests-for-the-rights-to-the-books-for-years/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Chief Superintendent Arnot might hold power, but Armand Gamache was the more powerful man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/chief-superintendent-arnot-might-hold-power-but-armand-gamache-was/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Henri kept everything important in his heart. He mostly kept cookies in his head.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/henri-kept-everything-important-in-his-heart-he-mostly-kept-cookies/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [A good journalist, as you know, is a great listener. And so's a good writer. And I got to listen to people for almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/a-good-journalist-as-you-know-is-a-great-listener-and-so-s-a-good/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [The question that haunted every investigation was 'why'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-question-that-haunted-every-investigation-was-why/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [But, like peace, comfort didn't come from hiding away or running away. Comfort first demanded courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/but-like-peace-comfort-didn-t-come-from-hiding-away-or-running-away/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“He did not suggest that she sit quietly and get to know herself so she could be all the company she needed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/he-did-not-suggest-that-she-sit-quietly-and-get-to-know-herself-so/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) > [“Come hither, all ye empty things,/Ye bubbles raised by breath of kings;/Who float upon the tide of state,/Come hither, and behold your fate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/come-hither-all-ye-empty-things-ye-bubbles-raised-by-breath-of-kings/) [Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) [Explore all 295 Louise Penny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/) ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When I’m afraid, I always ask myself, what’s the worst that can happen?” Chapter 5 · Page 41 · Location 733”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Louise Penny" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what-s-the-worst-that-can-happen/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what-s-the-worst-that-can-happen/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/louise-penny-1059_afraid_when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what_1125370.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/louise-penny-1059_afraid_when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what_1125370.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/louise-penny-1059_afraid_when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what_1125370.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I’m afraid, I always ask myself, what’s the worst that can happen?” Chapter 5 · Page 41 · Location 733” — Louise Penny", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Louise Penny", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When I’m afraid, I always ask...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what-s-the-worst-that-can-happen/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/when-i-m-afraid-i-always-ask-myself-what-s-the-worst-that-can-happen/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```