I've been grappling with this "overthinking" thing. Not the usual "analysis paralysis" advice you see everywhere, but something deeper.
There's this specific flavor of overthinking that actually moves you forward. It's when you're turning an idea in your head, examining it from different angles, finding holes in your logic. The kind that makes you go "hmm" and leads
to genuine insights.
But then there's the other kind. The endless loop of "what ifs" that takes you nowhere except deeper into anxiety. The kind where you're not really thinkinganymore - you're just feeling scared and trying to think your way out of the
fear.
I noticed this pattern last week when I was deciding on pricing for my sales course. The first hour of contemplation was productive - I was considering different price points, thinking about my ideal clients, mapping out the value
proposition.
Then something shifted. I wasn't thinking anymore - I was worrying. About what people would think. About whether I was good enough. About failing publicly. Classic imposter syndrome stuff.
The fascinating thing is that your body knows the difference before your mind catches up. Productive thinking feels like exploration - there's curiosity, even excitement. The bad kind feels like being stuck in quicksand - there's tension, sometimes even physical discomfort.
These days when I catch myself overthinking, I do a quick body check. If I'm feeling tense and contracted, I know it's time to stop. Sometimes I go for a walk. Sometimes I take a nap. Sometimes I just sit and breathe until the anxiety
passes.
The real skill isn't avoiding overthinking - it's learning to distinguish between the kind that serves you and the kind that doesn't.
And yeah, I probably overthought this post too 😅