The Benefits of Overthinking: How Overanalyzing and Thinking Too Much Can Help You Succeed

By Brendon Morran

Well-intentioned people have told you to stop overthinking, but have you ever considered that overthinking might be your secret weapon? Like any personality trait, a propensity to overthink has pros and cons. In this short book, you will learn how overanalyzing problems can improve your results. You will also identify methods of controlling your overthinking and channeling it in a positive direction.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Dec 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781387403684

Book preview

The Benefits of Overthinking

How Overanalyzing and Thinking Too Much Can Help You Succeed

By Brendon Morran

All rights reserved © 2022 Brendon Morran

The Benefits of Overthinking

How Overanalyzing and Thinking Too Much Can Help You Succeed

By Brendon Morran

All rights reserved © 2022 Brendon Morran

978-1-387-40368-4

Imprint: Lulu.com

Contents

Chapter 1 – How Overthinking Works

Over-Analyzing After the Fact

Analyzing Before the Fact

Overthinking in the Moment

Overcome Your Weaknesses or Embrace Your Strengths?

Chapter 2 – Advantage #1: Avoiding Foolish Actions

Analysis Paralysis

When Restraint is the Better Part of Valor

Chapter 3 – Advantage #2: Overthinking Can Lead to Action

When Excess Analysis Leads to Action

How to Shift Toward Action

Chapter 4 – Advantage #3: Overthinking is the Key to Strategic Success

Identify the Object of Your Overthinking

Avoid Repeating the Same Thought

Simulate Future Events

Chapter 5 – Advantage #4: Strengthening Your Relationships

Anticipating Relationship Problems

Preventing Relationship Overthinking

Strategic Relationship Overthinking

Chapter 6 – Advantage #5: Overthinking and Creativity

Feeling Good vs. Being Productive

Chapter 7 – Avoiding Rumination

How to Stop Ruminating

Chapter 8 – Conclusions

Chapter 1 – How Overthinking Works

Overthinking is simply giving something more time and mental energy than it deserves. At its worst, it involves focusing on things that are outside of our control. Things that are outside of our control deserve none of our time and none of our mental energy. Unfortunately, we sometimes give them both.

Even things that are within our control sometimes absorb too much time and mental energy. Our resources are limited, and it is a mistake to overspend on items that are not important.

However, overthinking has both benefits and drawbacks, like most things in life. Sometimes overspending time and mental energy on a problem creates positive results. We all need to find some sort of balance.