We all know the story of the boy who cried “Wolf!”

Just because you cry “wolf,”
that doesn’t mean there aren’t wolves out there.

• It does mean you personally are less ready to deal with the wolf when it comes.
• It does mean others won’t believe you, so you won’t have help with real wolves.

Just because you say everyone is out to get you,
that doesn’t mean you don’t have enemies.

• It does mean that those who are predatory will see you as an easy target, so you’ll probably actually have more people “out to get you.”
• It does mean people will doubt you when you say others are “out to get you.”

Just because you are a hypochondriac,
that doesn’t mean you aren’t ill.

• It does mean your mental outlook makes you more likely to actually be ill.
• It does mean you lose credibility with doctors, and may not get real treatment when ill.
• It does mean your friends may doubt you are really ill, so will be less willing to help you when you really need it.

Just because you are a sympathy addict,
that doesn’t mean you don’t have problems.

• It does mean your focus on problems makes them bigger to you than they really are.
• It does mean constant complaining will hinder you finding real solutions.
• It does mean people will wonder if there IS a problem, or if the problem is YOU.

Just because you are a self-appointed expert on the flaws of others,
that doesn’t mean they are sinless.

• It does mean when you paint their sins as blackly as you can, people defend them against your unfairness, so you can have a good argument and style yourself as the defender of righteousness, and feel even better about yourself.
• It does mean you’ll lose credibility when there is something you really should address.
• It does mean you can expect to be judged harshly when your own failures (inevitably) come to the fore.

Just because silence is golden,
that doesn’t mean we have to choose to be poor forever.