6 Ways to Stop Overthinking and Start Doing

Get out of “Overthinking Limbo”

Do you let your overthinking mind stop you from going after your dreams? Do you tend to regret it? Do you wish you were more courageous to do the thing you want to be doing?

By letting your overthinking take over, you enter a place I like to call overthinking limbo. This is a place where you are constantly thinking things over, but without taking any action. You are in-between action and non-action.

This can be detrimental to your confidence, plans, and ultimately the outcomes of your life. If we are standing still and thinking too much, we lose opportunities, momentum, and motivation.

That’s what happened to me when I postponed registering my company. However, today I finally did it. Here are the things that helped me get out of overthinking limbo and finally do it.

1. Make a commitment

I have been wanting to start an online academy for a while now, but I have always been afraid to do so.

I was stuck in overthinking limbo, wanting to do it but being afraid to commit to it. So I decided to make a commitment. I bought a course that will help me build and launch my online personal development academy, and I registered my company.

What is the commitment that you can make to your dreams, that will pave the road toward making them a reality?

“You always have two choices: your commitment versus your fear.” Sammy Davis Jr

2. Talk to experts or advisors

Upon registering my company and setting off on my own, I naturally had a lot of questions. Luckily, there is a lot of information online to help in this venture.

However, googling things and reading things is different than having a real-life conversation with someone who can give you real-time feedback.

Next to real-time feedback, you might also get ideas and inspiration through talking with another person. Often all we need is in our heads already, but we just need to be heard and talk it through to get a clearer idea of it.

So find an expert or advisor on the topic you are struggling with, and see if you can get feedback and clarity from your conversation with them.

3. Set a timer for your decision

Overthinking can really rob your time. And your energy. At least, that is what I experience.

What helps me when I am stuck in overthinking mode, is to set a timer for about 15 minutes. Within those fifteen minutes, I think about “the problem” as much as I want. Then, when the alarm goes off, I make a decision and stick with it.

“You can’t be that kid standing at the top of the water slide, overthinking it. You have to go down the chute.” ― Tina Fey

4. Don’t second-guess

Once you do make a decision, don’t second-guess it anymore. It can be easy to go back and forth on a decision, but this won’t make it any clearer. In fact, it will probably confuse you and make you (even more) frustrated.

So don’t go back on a decision. If you have to, write it on a post-it and stick it somewhere you see can it frequently.

Or if you notice your mind going into overthinking and second-guessing mode, focus on the next thing on your to-do list and divert your attention from your overthinking tendency.

4. Do what feels right

In our hearts, we always have a sense of what is right. However, overthinking can cloud that vision that we have inside of us.

For this, you can grab a piece of paper and just start writing. Write down your concerns, your wishes, and your dreams. Write down what you’d be doing if you got to design it your way. Really let your hand do the writing, and just see where it takes you.

This technique always helps me get out of my head and get more in alignment with what it is that I really want in my heart. When I make decisions based on that inner wisdom, things just feel much better and decisions are easier to make.

“It is your mind, your heart, and your own internal wisdom that will lead you in the direction you need to go.” ― Elizabeth Berrien

6. Hold yourself accountable by sharing your plans

If you made a commitment to a certain dream, share it with your surroundings. Post about it on social media, tell the people around you and schedule time to work on that dream.

By sharing your plan, you hold yourself accountable for it. You can do this by scheduling time to work on your dream and setting milestones. For every milestone you reach, treat yourself with something small. The bigger the milestone, the bigger your reward can be (for example, a delicious lunch or dinner, a massage, or a new top).

If that doesn’t work well, ask one of your loved ones to hold you accountable by checking in with you once a week.

For example, I feel bad if I don’t pursue my goals after I have shared them with everyone. Yet, sometimes I still don’t pursue my goals, even after sharing.

But that feeling of disappointment afterward is enough for me to avoid such mistakes in the future. So in the end, sharing your goals and pursuits can still be a good way to create accountability with yourself, even if it’s in an indirect way.

Key takeaways

There are many ways to stop yourself from overthinking and start doing.

I hope that some of the abovementioned tips can help you overcome your overthinking mode, and prevent you from being stuck in the overthinking limbo.

Don’t let overthinking hold your mind, time, and energy hostage anymore. Go out there and make it happen.

Life’s waiting for you.

With love,

Jelena

Get your free ‘Become your best self’ guide now.

This is part of a series on how I am overcoming my fears in starting my own business. Read more about it here.