By Dan Rockwell
Thinking is a magnifying glass. Overthinking is a microscope.
Daniel Kanneman said, “Nothing in life is as important as you think it is, while you are thinking about it.”
Clarity:
Action creates clarity. Inaction magnifies confusion.
The more you think about something, the bigger it becomes. The sooner you act, the clearer you become.
- Focus on thinking, get more thinking.
- Focus on action, get results.
Overthinking and fear:
Fear of making mistakes ends up making you dumb.
You learn when you try stuff.
Organizations that concentrate on preventing mistakes end up paralyzed and dumb.
Responsible mistake-making enables learning. (Dumb mistake-making results from lack of initiative, poor preparation, and sloppy execution.)
- Choose a path forward.
- Prepare, plan, and execute with precision.
- Evaluate, adapt, and begin again.
Success is always iterative.
The more you think about fear, the bigger it becomes.
Fear shrinks when you step into it.
What ifs:
How many what ifs are enough?
Create three options. Choose one. Move forward.
- One option isn’t a choice.
- Two options is a yes or no situation.
- Three options enable you to experience the power of making a real decision.
Focused reflection for overthinkers:
How has taking action…
- Made you wiser?
- Expanded your experience?
- Enabled you to change direction?
- Enlarged your ability to serve?
Imagined problems…
Think about problems a little. Focus on solutions a lot.
Problem-centric leaders are dead weight.
Tony Robbins says, “Identify your problems, but give your power and energy to solutions.”
Overthinker’s tip: Distill big decisions into a series of small decisions.
If you can’t make a big jump, take a small step.
How can you move forward in a small way today?
What tips do you have for overthinkers?
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This post was previously published on Leadership Freak and is republished here with a Creative Commons license.
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Photo credit: iStock