#overthinking

#overthinking

Many adult children aren't failing because they lack intelligence, talent, or opportunity. They are stuck because they think too much and act too little. The parents I work with often describe these children in the same way: bright, sensitive, thoughtful, and capable. Over time, this not only slows growth but also infantilizes adulthood, keeping capable young adults dependent on certainty, reassurance, and avoidance rather than action.

So, let's return to classic literature and take a look at a 19th-century idea that feels remarkably relevant today. It's the danger of too much thought. Many writers have understood the power and peril of thought (and consciousness) long before algorithms began to mimic it. They felt, unlike the LLMs, that the very thing that makes us intelligent can also make us suffer.

The cognitive shuffling method is effective primarily due to its roots in psychology. It retrains your mind to focus on sleep-inducing thoughts.

Overthinkers mistakenly believe that their capacity for prediction sets them apart, while in reality, this belief leads to greater anxiety and often unhelpful outcomes.