When life is going well, it is human nature to think everything will be fine–forever. As a society, I think Americans as a whole are, perhaps, the most guilty of this ridiculous mindset, and, unbelievably, many raise their kids to think that way (I know quite a few, and it hasn’t worked out well.) The reality is–everything will be fine–until it isn’t–as many found out during The Great Recession.
Imo, those who financially survive, and even thrive during the inevitable cyclical economic corrections they will encounter throughout their lifetimes–are those who expect the best and plan for the worst. That, of course, means different things to different people, but it is possible to position yourself in that way.
