It’s counter intuitive because we’re never taught to think less. Growing up it’s usually the exact opposite. Kids tend to act without thinking at all, and they have to learn how to consider the consequences of their actions. But in adults I often see the opposite problem; they’re real good at thinking, so much so that they only think and don’t do. It’s important to think about your decisions, but after a certain point you’re just mentally masturbating. Gross. Real learning and achievement comes from doing, not thinking about doing. Sometimes “stop thinking” is exactly what you need to hear. Let’s talk about how to get out of your own head.
Why You Should Think a Little Less
Life isn’t kind to those who don’t take action. Fortune favors the bold is one of those quotes that’s as old as time because of the undeniable truth behind it. Action -> Reward.
Take Elon Musk as an example. However you feel about him personally, he is the richest man in the world and it’s because of how bold he is. Think about how bold you have to be to decide you’re going to build a rocket that can take humans to mars! Or to change the way all of America thinks about electric vehicles. Elon doesn’t just think about humanity’s largest problems, he takes action to solve them.
You probably don’t want to be the next Elon Musk, and neither would I. I like to sleep. But a lot of us can benefit from being more action oriented. You’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish, and what you’ll learn, if you simply decide to try.
How to Stop Thinking So Much
I used to be an over-thinker myself. Through a lot of trial and error I’ve learned how to spend less time pondering and more time doing. Here’s a few tips to think less and do more.
Tip #1 – Set a Time, and A Time Limit
If you want to stop thinking too much you need to impose limits on yourself. You can do this by defining the amount of time you want to spend thinking about a decision, and a deadline for when that decision needs to be made. This can work for any decision big or small. Can’t figure what to order at the restaurant? Give yourself 30 seconds to think and then another 30 seconds to make a decision. Trying to decide what car to buy? Dedicate an hour to considering the pro’s and con’s, and then have a decision made by 1 or 2 days after that.
The bigger the decision, the more time you’ll want. Just be careful not to extend your deadline out too far. Thinking too much is what we want to avoid, and if you have too much time your brain will run in circles. For the real big decisions, I would recommend waiting at least one night after you’ve fully considered it before making a choice. There is no choice you have to make that will be made worse by getting a full night of sleep.
If you’re an overthinker, the first few times you do this will feel weird. Your brain is going to resist the deadline because it’s used to not making choices. Fight through it, decide, and stick to it. The more you do it the more natural it will become. And if you’re worried you will make the wrong choice, remember that most of the choices we make don’t really matter. Similarly, very few are irreversible. I promise you that a year from now you are not going to remember that one time that you ordered tacos but later realized that you actually wanted a burrito.
Tip #2 – Focus On What You Can Control
This is more of a general principle for a healthy mindset but I think it helps a lot if you’re an overthinker. It’s really easy to get caught up in things that are far outside of our control nowadays. Information is more accessible than it’s ever been, and many of us consume too much of it. Politics, foreign wars, and natural disasters dominate the news cycle and our social media feeds. It can be anxiety inducing and make your thoughts run wild.
I would argue that you should spend most of your mental energy on things you do control. In any given context, ask yourself the question “Can I actually do anything about this?”. If your answer is no, it’s a waste of mental space. Unless you plan on running for political office, there’s no reason to think deeply about politics. Sure you can vote and donate to preferred candidates, but that’s really the extent of your control and you shouldn’t ponder it beyond those two decisions. Your time would be better spent taking action on things you can control, which brings us to our next point.
Tip #3 – Use Your Body
It’s very hard to control the mind with the mind. Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman has talked a lot about this on podcasts, particularly at the beginning of this episode of Modern Wisdom. The main idea is that you can’t out think your way out of already negative thinking habits. It’s like when you’re stressed and someone tells you to calm down. That never works.
What you can do to change your mental state is look to your body. Certain behaviors, like deep breathing patterns or physical activity can shift your nervous system into a more relaxed state. This is great if you’re caught in a loop of over-analysis. Do some deep breathing or strenuous exercise and I bet you’ll be less focused on whatever was occupying your mind before hand. If you don’t know any deep breathing techniques, look up box breathing with a quick google search. It’s very simple and effective.
Tip #4 – Meditate
If you’re going to roll your eyes at any of these principles, it’ll probably be this one. It sounds woo-woo, and people knock it all the time before they try it. Whenever I suggest meditation to someone I typically get some variation of “I can’t just sit still and think about nothing” as a response. Thinking about mediation this way misses the point. Meditation isn’t about not having any thoughts – it’s about training your focus. When done correctly over time, it helps you to be more present in your daily life because your mind is quieter.
Meditation practices don’t have to be elaborate. My preferred method is a 5-10 minute session in the morning where I attempt to focus solely on my breathing. Notice I said attempt because meditation requires practice; you don’t just sit down and reach nirvana the first time you try it. It takes time to see results, but if you consistently practice you will gradually see a positive change in your focus. There are many types of meditation and I recommend exploring a few to find what works for you.
Tip #5 – Force Yourself to Try
This is another habit that is difficult at first but gets easier the more you do it. If something sounds interesting to you, try it. Start a new hobby. Approach the cute girl/guy you’ve been scared to talk to. Say yes to activities you get invited to, even if it’s outside you’re comfort zone. It’s not always going to to work out, but there’s a zero percent chance of it working out if you don’t try. Don’t be afraid of failure, rejection, or whatever perceived limitations you’ve put on yourself. You are more capable than you realize and everyone sucks when they’re new to something. You can always try again, and you will get better at whatever it is you are trying to do over time. Take the leap!
Stop Thinking…. Sometimes
This entire post has been about how to think less. Not everyone has that problem. Critical thinking is the most important skill one can have, and I am not recommending you stop thinking altogether. What I am saying is that for those of you that are prone to paralysis by analysis, you will benefit from getting out of your head and out into the world. Fortune favors the bold.
If you haven’t seen my first couple blog posts about how and where to save your money, you can check them out here and here. I’ll be back in a couple weeks to talk about….. something. That’s my Twenty2 for this week.
Questions? Thoughts? Hit me up on X.
-Chris