On overthinking things
Recently I heard someone who was struggling to ferret out a solution to some problem being softly rebuked by a listener with a well intended, “Stop overthinking it!” I have had this polite suggestion leveled at me from time to time . Here’s the thing, Thomas Edison did a lot of thinking during the 14 months he took to develop the electric lightbulb. Similarly, a lot of thinking was done by Orville Wright, Leonardo DaVinci, Albert Einstein and innumerable other problem-solvers throughout history. Overthinking is different from problem-solving. Problem-solving involves thinking about a solution. According to official definitions, overthinking is synonymous with over-anxious worrying. Overthinkers dwell on the problem or how bad they feel. They think about all the things they have no control over. Overthinking doesn't help a person develop new insight. Overthinking is also different from self-reflection. Healthy introspection is about learning something about yourself or gainin