"Don't put the cart before the horse"

[jackfaire]

I hate that saying when it doesn't apply.

I am up for a job interview if I land the job I will almost double my annual income and my financial issues will be over. I would love for this to happen and am staying positive.

I am making plans such as, "If I get the job I will do this...." I have not yet acted like I have the job I have not went out and bought things I could only do so with the job or in any other way spent money I do not yet have.

Yet every time I mention my plans I am told, "do not put the cart before the horse"

I get tired of explaining that I am not doing so and I am merely being prepared with plans for my future that take into account either income and I see nothing wrong with that. To me knowing things like where I am going to live when my folks leave the place we're in are important and determined a lot by how much money I make.

I don't mind if they stop me before I buy a 42" flat screen and say, "woah wait on that you don't have the job yet"

but telling me "Woah don't make any plans yet" seems a great way to ensure I am short sighted and unprepared for any changes that are coming my way.

[Greenday]

Yet every time I mention my plans I am told, "do not put the cart before the horse"

Because not planning how to spend possible money is so terrible and instead you should definitely just get the money, not be sure what to do with it, and just spend it recklessly!

[HYHYBT]

You're right. That's not cart-before-horse. It might, though, qualify as "counting your chickens before they hatch."

[Amanita]

Ugh, it reminds me of my parents so much! I remember my Tae Kwon Do days, being told that I was going to get to test for my yellow belt soon. I was exited, and most people I told offered congrats. However, my dad was all like "Don't be disappointed if you don't get it". Wow, way to offer encouragement there! But then again, my parents had allowed me to take lessons in the first place, with the expectation that I would fail- that I wouldn't last a month before breaking something, splitting something open, or wanting out. I ended up sticking around for two freaking years. So much for wimp out in a month, mom and dad!

[Boozy]

I think there's always a danger of "getting your hopes up" too high, and then crashing when it's bad news.

Optimism is good, but making too many plans based on something that hasn't happened yet is usually a bad idea - for most people. Most people who spend a lot of time visualizing all the wonderful things that will happen after a good turn will experience a "loss" if that good thing doesn't happen. They'll grieve it as if it had already been theirs.

On the other hand, people who use the "wait and see" approach are more likely to bounce back quickly after losing a good opportunity. That opportunity was never considered theirs to begin with, so they don't experience a loss.

You know better than anyone how you'll react if this doesn't go the way you want. The one thing I'll say; you lose nothing by not making plans before landing the job. There will be plenty of time between starting work and getting your first paycheck to make a plan.

[jackfaire]

I think there's always a danger of "getting your hopes up" too high, and then crashing when it's bad news.

Optimism is good, but making too many plans based on something that hasn't happened yet is usually a bad idea - for most people.

See except I am planning for both. I have Plan A if I get the job then my next steps are this that and other thing.

I have Plan B If I don't get the job then my next steps are this that and the other thing.

While I have a preference for Plan A I know as much about what my responses need to be for Plan B.

If I don't get the job it will suck but I am prepared for the good possibility that I wont' get it given there are only 10 slots and a lot more people going for them.

If I don't get the job I am going back to college get my degree and get a better one. Starting in Spring Quarter. I have my plans all laid because I am not getting any younger and I don't want to be making chump change my whole life.

The TV thing was probably a bad example my plans are things like my folks are possibly moving out of the home we are in and I have to go with if I don't' get the job but if I do I don't have to so I have to be prepared for either event.

The place we are going to is further from work and so I have to plan how I would get to work in that event. Etc.

Just things I need to have something of an idea of solutions for various problems.