amusing, pessimistic take on a quote

[Bob]

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.

But if it's really the worst, then why bother at all?  It's probably not worth it if the worst is going to happen and you plan on the worst happening.  Actually might might be wasted effort too.  The best thing then is to do nothing.  Or do something that's fun because then at least you're enjoying things.

But you should still hope for the best?  According to the saying.  But if you're not doing anything because you're efforts might be wasted by planning for the worst, then you're just setting yourself up for unmet expectations.  You're not likely to suceed if you do nothing.  But you should still hope?

So applying that to piano (or anything in life), I should hope to become a great concert pianist but I should go out and have fun instead because I could die tomorrow (the worst).  Or sooner (even worse). 

Maybe if you really enjoy preparing for the worst... Or if you do something where failure is impossible...

[db05]

I think that quote was saying something else, i.e. the meaning got lost in the wording... or deliberately contrived to confuse the masses.

It's like "Practice makes perfect" and "nobody's perfect"... so why practice?

imo, it would be better to say, hope for nothing, expect nothing.

[Bob]

Would I be deliberately confusifying? 

The saying says to hope though, so you have to hope.  You just have to.  But if you hope and don't do the work, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.  Maybe some people like that.  Or maybe they're not aware of it.  Ignorance is bliss.

Practicing just engrains things.  Practice mistakes, engrain the mistakes.  Perfect practice makes perfect. 

Or just "work hard" and don't worry about anything else.

Remember:  Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked up in jet engines.  And the second mouse gets the cheese.  Or whatever those sayings are.

[db05]

"The early bird gets the worm" but "the second mouse gets the cheese."
"Birds of the same feather flock together" but "opposites attract."
"Clothes make a man" but "don't judge a book by its cover."

[frigo]

Maybe if you really enjoy preparing for the worst... Or if you do something where failure is impossible...

That is it: have fun preparing for the worst.

[olszewski]

.

[Bob]

Too bad you can't count on things always going wrong. 

[mrba1979]

Too bad you can't count on things always going wrong. 

I prefer to count on things going right.  It makes trigonometry much easier.