Overthinking Won't Solve Your Problems: Here's Why

Join us today for a discussion on overcoming the habit of overthinking. In this video, we'll explore the challenges posed by overthinking and delve into effective strategies to break free from this cycle.

Overthinking, a common challenge for many, often becomes a stumbling block rather than a solution. Our conversation aims to dissect this issue, highlighting that despite our tendency to dwell and ruminate on thoughts repeatedly, it often fails to yield solutions to our problems.

▼ Timestamps ▼
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00:07 - The biggest problem with overthinking
00:32 - Does thinking lead to success?
01:26 - The scam of overthinking
01:57 - What is Mensa?
02:59 - How people Theorycraft to solve problems
04:41 - Takeaways from overthinking
05:16 - Thinking negatively improves performance
06:07 - Treatments of social anxiety
07:32 - The real tragedy of people who overthink
08:07 - You can’t think your way to a solution
08:36 - Wisdom from the game of Go
09:50 - Summary of overthinking
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#healthygamergg #mentalhealth #overthinking

[PoliAstroN]

Overthinking won't solve my problems... As an overthinker, I KNOW! I overthink the fact that i'm overthinking, and then I enter an endless loop of shame and guilt and anger at myself.

[wonkerz]

“Paralysis by Analysis” is how I always referred to it. Really nailed this

[kevinn]

I think a big reason why people turn to overthinking as opposed to learning is because they were never given a safe environment to learn and the anxiety lingers from those experiences.

Some upbringings are full of hostility and shame especially in response to failure or mediocrity. Which is an essential part of learning. Hardly anything we do for the first time is going to be exceptional.

So rather than having a safe space where we can trial and error and gain as much experience as we need to succeed, we overthink. We think of the exact way we need to do something before we do it so we can do it correctly and avoid punishment. Which is tragic because this becomes our default mode of being for most of our lives.

It’s tough to break this wiring and best wishes to anyone trying to grow from this horrible maladaptation.

[pedromontesinosnavarro]

Another uncannily in-time video from Dr. K

[lowtech]

"Lose your first one hundred games as fast as you can"

I can't put into words how paradigm shifting this piece of wisdom is for me specifically. All of your videos have been incredibly insightful but this one in particular is absolutely divine! Thank you for the umpteenth time for being you and sharing Dr. K and HG! 🙏🏾

[ciaa]

I just got off of a very emotional phone call with my mom. She told me something similar to this when I was venting. Stop overthinking. Stop focusing on the negative. It’s not lazy or dismissive to take things day-by-day and slowly adjust to a new way of thinking/acting. Thank you for this! ❤

[Alex-jslg]

"The more you overthink, the more you actually end up screwing up."

This sounds like a principle that's similar to how OCD checking actually leads to *less* confidence in one's memories: "Did I actually check the stove this morning? Or am I remembering one of the eighteen times that I checked it yesterday? Better check it just in case." Rinse and repeat six more times before leaving for work.

[arik_dev]

It's important to distinguish between "Thinking" and "Overthinking". Thinking is useful, overthinking is not (by definition really). It seems to me that you need a balance between experience and thinking. For example, if you try to learn Chess through theory books without ever playing a game, you won't become a good chess player. But similarly, if you play thousands of games but never stop and think about why you lost a game, you will get stuck at a low ELO. It's almost like food, once you've eaten a bit you have to digest it. You can't digest food if it's not there, similarly you can't think without data/experience.

[danielroy]

I have spent the last 6 years mulling over a large set of complex life problems in my head for hours a day, and it has gotten me nowhere. But actually trying anything is absolutely terrifying.

[npk]

I've been a habitual over-thinker my whole life, and recently it's definitely been the worst period of over-thinking and stress. The timing of your videos is extremely uncanny, but thank you nonetheless. 💯

[OwnedByTheState]

Speaking from my own experience, the theoretical world in our heads is a safe place. From a young age I withdrew from my abusive enviroment into books and ideas. There I was strong, I was safe. When you get skilled at withdrawing from pain into your own mind, it runs the risk of becoming a maladaptive behavior. It protected you once when you couldn't control your enviroment, but now you have to let it die by recognizing its negative impact and becoming more aware of it when it happens.

[guillermorelobalopez]

I was in Mensa. The selection bias of insecure people who need the validation of a card that confirms you're smart is really powerful. I am very skeptical of any conclusion about high IQ people based on studies on Mensa members which don't take that bias into account.

[Olia-ch-ka]

People are always commentating on every videos stuff like, "wow, so scary how Dr. Ks videos come out RIGHT when I was just thinking about/struggling with that topic!", "This video calling me out specifically lol", "Dr.K living in my walls, has a mic/camera in my home cause this feels like it was made just for me".

These comments are so interesting to me because they're so common and on every video. And they're often top comments too.
Instead of pointing out how it's nice that other people understand what you're going through (which many people do comment), and that these feelings/situations are common, it feels to me like people seem to be trying to hold onto their..."main character status/worldview". I don't know how else to put it. It's almost like those people can't let go that they aren't super duper unique and special, so it's "so weird and wild" that every video feels like it was made just for them at the exact moment they needed it, instead of just being common emotions, thoughts, and experiences that most people face.
It's just an interesting thing to notice how self-centered we are, even when we don't consciously mean to be. Personally, it has actually helped a lot to let go of those thoughts and expectations that the world revolves around me and that I'm SO unique/special/complex that no one could possibly understand me.

idk, has anyone else noticed this or any other interesting patterns in the comments across videos?

[greywolf]

A person that only thinks, has nothing to think about, except thoughts.

- Man who was smarter than me

[kentclark]

What I've kinda figured out at this point in my life (I'm 23) is that overthinking is like fooling myself to believe that I'm working towards a goal or an answer, when I actually have long gone past the point where I have any valid data to work out my answer. This realization has forced me to now be more aware of what I actually can be sure about, and where/when I start conjecturing. Generally saying, you need to actually work on something to add new data into your brain, to even start the reasonable, quality thinking process.

[douglaseffield]

Over thinking works he just hasn’t thought about it enough, great vid tho

[goldmichi]

The walking example kind of enlightened me. The fact, that I'm thinking about how I walk, probably makes me walk in a weird way, which then makes me become even more insecure, which leads to more overthinking, resulting in me walking even weirder lmao

[poba.g]

So much of the reason I love this channel is because Dr.K turns everything adults have been telling me my entire life into words that actually resonate with me on a deep level of understanding.

[dasshrs]

What helps me to concur my overthinking is to make "attempt goals".

For example, you are looking for a job, and you can count every interview as some kind of achieved goal of trying. You tried and you were great already! If they hire you that's great if no just keep searching.

It's like doing push-ups to grow your chest: counting every rep is a win is much more motivating than looking in the mirror and trying to see muscle growth

[anjunabeatsftw]

omg. “we use thought as a substitute for learning”. I love that and it’s what I needed to hear. I adore learning & growing and I guess it’s over time led me to overthink too much!! I’ll try to focus on “learning” things instead of churning my mind lol. I love churning my mind to see what it comes up with lol 😑🥶