We all have situations in our lives that cause us uncertainty, anxiety or fear. Perhaps it’s a presentation to senior executives, a job interview, speaking before a crowd of hundreds of people, or even just having a difficult conversation with a child.

Imagine yourself in that situation and think: “I hope this goes well.” Observe how you feel when you say that to yourself and what you’re thinking.

Now imagine being in the same situation and think: “I trust this will go well.”  Observe how you feel and what you’re thinking.

When we simply hope something goes well, we still leave open the nagging possibility that it won’t. In this context, hope can be timid, and that’s a crafty back door for fear to sneak in. If I just hope I do well on my speech, I might start to focus on what could go wrong: I’ll forget the CEO’s name, my face will freeze on the screen with my mouth open, I’ll suddenly develop Tourette’s syndrome, etc. When we rely only on hope, failure remains an option.

If we go into the situation trusting we’ll do well, we eliminate the possibility that it won’t. We focus on what might go right – not what might go wrong. Instead of feeling reticence and dread, we feel self-confidence and even anticipation. If it’s an important presentation I’m preparing for, I might visualize the CEO catching my eye and smiling at me, trust that I will find the right words at the right moment, and hear the audience clap enthusiastically at the conclusion. With trust, there is no room for worry about fear and failure.