The irony of paranoia

The perception of safety makes us confident that nothing else could go wrong. Or to leave a margin for error, we underestimate both the odds and consequences of anything going wrong significantly.

Sadly, this is when things dangerously go wrong.

I found this in Morgan Housel’s Same as Ever, and it firmly explains a conversation I had with a friend some months ago. I’m calling it the irony of paranoia.

Paranoia leads to success because it keeps you on your toes.

But paranoia is stressful, so you abandon it quickly once you achieve success.

Now you’ve abandoned what made you successful and you begin to decline — which is even more stressful.

It happens in business, investing, careers, relationships—all over the place.

The antidote?

Enjoy the beauty of safety, while remembering that everything happens in cycles. This cycle may pass soon too.