My best friend in high school used to say to me "hope for the best, prepare for the worst, something in the middle will probably happen". From what I remember he was usually doing about girls, and the worst almost always happened, but at least I was sufficiently prepared for it. Thinking about it now, I think it might be good advice for poker variance too - hope you will run well, study and mentally prepare as if you will lose every flip ever, but chances are you'll probably run at EV.