When To Stop Thinking

The answer is probably a lot sooner than you usually do.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating that we shouldn’t think. What I am recommending is that we need to stop, or at the very least, curb the inclination to overthink everything. Especially when we are in uncharted territory.

Stop doing that.

When you’re mulling over an issue, working out the next move or lamenting a missed step, you should probably quit thinking and start moving toward a solution, sooner rather than later. Analysis paralysis is real, and the only antidote to alleviate the problem is action.

Move forward, with either a big definitive act or a minuscule movement. The gesture is more about doing something that can start the ball rolling, the size of the action is typically defined by your perception and definition. Inevitably the first step leads to the logical second step, and before you know it, you’ve arrived at a solution. Or you haven’t, but at this point, you can make an informed decision and let it go if that’s the right thing.

Obsessiveness is debilitating. Train yourself to let go, to lose sight of the whole and focus on the next logical detail. Remember, and this does justify repeating, the importance of the next step is irrelevant compared to the process of just doing it.

Fulfillment is far more likely to be attained in the action step. Very little, if any, satisfaction awaits in the process of obsessive thinking. What often awaits is doubt, fear, and anxiety, the true motivations of overthinking and the root cause of the overthinking mental loop.

The reality is we don’t need all the answers. What we need is the courage to move forward, the confidence to try, and the willingness to be unattached to any preconceived outcome.

Adventure awaits in the unknown.

Roll with the punches and always, Think World Class.

Cheers my friend,
Brent