The Snow-globe Effect
Or
Overthinking is not a great strategy for success
How often do you Overthink everything? Once a week? Once a day? Every hour? But what can you do? You have a problem that needs solving and that needs some thought. Doesn’t it?
You take an upcoming event, a conversation you need to have, a decision you need to take, and think, and think, and think, building and building it up in your mind. Eventually YOU CREATE a monster. And then shout ‘help, it’s a monster’.
STOP
The Key is actually the opposite of overthinking.
Wisdom. Wisdom KNOWS what to do, how to react, the correct action to take, the right path. Wisdom is known in many forms but for this tip I will call it intuition, or insight, or gut-feeling.
Wisdom is that still small voice trying to be heard amongst the cacophony in your head. We all have wisdom, it is inherent, it is built into the system, but how can we possibly access our own wisdom with such a noise going on?
It WANTS to be heard but the problem is this…
Overthinking is the full orchestra in your head, playing the 1812 overture, including cannons!
Wisdom is the triangle in the orchestra. It wants to be heard. It has big ideas, dreams and goals, it will show you the way but is drowned out by the trumpets, drums and full string section!
When coaching I call this ‘The Snow-Globe Effect’. When we shake a Snow-Globe the snow rises and obstructs the view. It’s the same with overthinking. Your mind is the Snow-Globe. Overthinking is the snow. Wisdom is the picture at the centre of the Snow-Globe. Desperate to be seen, to be heard. Obscured by all the snow swirling around.
So what is the best strategy with overthinking?
Put the Snow-Globe down.
Stop interacting with it, let the snow settle and the picture comes into view. Let your thoughts settle down and wisdom can be seen because the natural property of the Snow-Globe is clarity. It will tell you what to do
So the best advice is do nothing. Because when you stop playing with, interacting with, and building your thoughts they WILL settle down. Just like the snow globe.
Martyn Dawes is a Coach, Social Care Consultant, and Author of The Overwhelmed Manager: What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do
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