How to Overcome Overthinking and Finally Change Careers
What if this new career isn’t right for me either? What if I can’t get a new job? What if I have to take a huge pay cut? These are just a few common questions that I hear from potential career changers. They are stuck in a career that doesn’t make them happy but can’t seem to make the leap to something new because they are constantly overthinking every possible scenario, risk, and outcome. Sound familiar?
I struggle with overthinking, so, I get it. You turn these decisions or scenarios over and over again in your mind, questioning every little thing, often to the point of creating anxiety, self-doubt, or even decision paralysis. If you are an overthinker, you can relate. We tend to focus on the negative aspects of a situation, imagine the worst-case scenarios, and doubt our own abilities and choices. While some degree of thinking and planning is necessary and helpful for making a career change, overthinking can prevent you from taking action and pursuing your dreams.
Fortunately, overthinking is not a permanent condition. You can learn to overcome it and finally change careers with some practical strategies and mindset shifts. I’m going to share some tips on how to stop overthinking and start doing when it comes to your career.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE WAY YOU THINK
The first step to overcoming overthinking is to become aware of your own thinking patterns and habits. Notice when you're overthinking and what triggers it. For example, do you overthink when you're faced with uncertainty, ambiguity, or complexity? Do you overthink when you're comparing yourself to others or seeking validation from external sources? Do you overthink when you're feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed?
Once you identify the situations and emotions that cause you to overthink, you can start to challenge and change your thoughts. Instead of letting your thoughts run wild and spiral into negativity, you can question their validity and accuracy. For example, you can ask yourself:
Is this thought based on facts or assumptions?
Is this thought helpful or harmful?
Is this thought realistic or exaggerated?
Is this thought relevant or distracting?
By asking these questions, you can evaluate your thoughts and decide whether to keep them, modify them, or let them go. You can also use a growth mindset to replace unhelpful thoughts with more positive and constructive ones. For example, instead of thinking "I can't change careers because I don't have the right skills or experience", you can think "I can learn new skills and gain experience by taking courses, volunteering, or networking".
HAVE SOME PERSPECTIVE
Another way to overcome overthinking is to have some perspective and look at the bigger picture. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the details and minutiae of a situation that we lose sight of the overall goal and purpose. We also tend to magnify the importance and impact of a decision, making it seem more daunting and irreversible than it actually is.
To gain some perspective, you can zoom out and look at your situation from a different angle or viewpoint. Try asking yourself:
How will this decision affect me in the long term?
How will this decision affect other aspects of my life?
How will this decision affect other people?
How would I advise a friend in a similar situation?
What would I regret more: doing it or not doing it?
By asking these questions, you can put your decision into context and see the bigger picture. You can also realize that most decisions are not final or fatal, and that you can always adjust, adapt, or change course if needed. You can also appreciate the benefits and opportunities of making a career change, rather than focusing on the drawbacks and risks.
FOCUS ON THE THINGS YOU CAN CHANGE
A common source of overthinking is trying to control or predict things that are beyond your control or influence. For example, you might overthink about the state of the economy, the demand for your skills, the competition in your field, or the opinions of others. While these factors may affect your career change, they are not something you can directly change or control.
Instead of wasting your time and energy on things you can't change, focus on the things you can change and influence. Rather, focus on:
Your goals and values
Your strengths and skills
Your actions and behaviors
Your learning and growth
Your network and support
By focusing on the things you can change, you can empower yourself and take charge of your career. You can also reduce your stress and anxiety, as you'll feel more confident and prepared for whatever comes your way.
GET A GOOD START EVERY DAY
One of the best ways to overcome overthinking is to start your day on a positive and productive note. How you begin your day can set the tone and mood for the rest of the day, so it's important to establish a healthy and consistent morning routine that works for you.
An exercise that I implemented daily that has had a positive impact on my day is a 3-word check-in. Choose 3 words that you are feeling. These can be positive, negative, neutral, or a mix of all three. Then journal about why you are feeling these things. For me, it helps me process my feelings and starts my day off better.
Some other things you can do to get a good start every day are:
Wake up early and avoid snoozing your alarm
Drink a glass of water and eat a nutritious breakfast
Do some physical activity, such as stretching, yoga, or walking
Meditate, pray, or practice gratitude
Review your goals and priorities for the day
Avoid checking your phone, email, or social media until you've completed your most important tasks
By doing these things, you can boost your energy, mood, and motivation, and set yourself up for success. You can also avoid getting distracted or overwhelmed by unnecessary or negative information, and focus on what matters most to you.
SCHEDULE SOME TIME FOR REFLECTION
While overthinking can be harmful, some degree of reflection and introspection is beneficial and necessary for making a career change. Reflection can help you gain clarity, insight, and direction, as well as learn from your experiences and feedback. However, reflection should be done in a structured and intentional way, rather than in a random and reactive way.
To avoid overthinking, you should schedule some time for reflection, rather than doing it whenever you feel like it or have some free time. You can set aside a specific time and place for reflection, such as in the evening, in the morning, or on the weekend, and use a journal, a notebook, or an app to record your thoughts and feelings. You can also use some prompts or questions to guide your reflection, such as:
What did I do well today/this week/this month?
What did I learn today/this week/this month?
What challenges did I face today/this week/this month?
How did I overcome them or cope with them?
What feedback did I receive today/this week/this month?
How can I use it to improve or grow?
What are my goals for tomorrow/next week/next month?
What are the steps I need to take to achieve them?
What are the potential obstacles or risks I might encounter?
How can I prepare for them or avoid them?
By scheduling some time for reflection, you can make reflection a habit and a tool for your career change, rather than a source of overthinking and stress. You can also limit the amount of time you spend on reflection, avoid dwelling on the past or the future, and focus on the present and the action.
PRACTICE MINDFULNESS
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and aware of the moment, without judgment or distraction. Mindfulness can help you overcome overthinking, as it can help you calm your mind, reduce your stress, and increase your focus and concentration. Mindfulness can also help you cope with negative emotions, such as fear, anxiety, or doubt, and accept them without letting them affect your decisions or actions.
There are many ways to practice mindfulness, such as:
Breathing exercises, such as deep breathing, abdominal breathing, or alternate nostril breathing
Meditation, such as guided meditation, mantra meditation, or mindfulness meditation
Yoga, tai chi, or qigong, which combine physical movement, breathing, and mental focus
Mindful activities, such as walking, eating, listening, or reading, which involve paying attention to your senses, feelings, and thoughts
Mindful apps, such as Headspace, Calm, or Insight Timer, which offer various mindfulness exercises and resources
By practicing mindfulness, you can train your brain to be more present and attentive, and less prone to overthinking and wandering. You can also develop a more positive and balanced outlook on your situation, and see things more clearly and objectively.
STOP BEING A PERFECTIONIST
One of the main causes of overthinking is perfectionism, which is the tendency to set unrealistically high standards for yourself and others and to be overly critical and dissatisfied with anything less than perfect. Perfectionists often overthink because they fear making mistakes, failing, or being judged by others. They also tend to procrastinate, avoid, or delay taking action, as they wait for the perfect time, the perfect plan, or the perfect outcome.
To stop being a perfectionist, you need to embrace imperfection and learn from it. You need to realize that perfection is impossible and unnecessary, and that good enough is often good enough. You also need to accept that mistakes and failures are inevitable and valuable and that they are opportunities for learning and improvement, rather than signs of weakness or incompetence.
Some of the ways to stop being a perfectionist are:
Set realistic and attainable goals, and break them down into smaller and manageable steps
Celebrate your progress and achievements, no matter how big or small
Seek feedback and constructive criticism, and use it to grow and improve
Be kind and compassionate to yourself, and acknowledge your strengths and efforts
Have fun and enjoy the process, rather than focusing on the outcome
By stopping being a perfectionist, you can overcome overthinking and start taking action. You can also boost your confidence and self-esteem, and enjoy your career.
Overthinking is a killer of change. Trust me, I have lived and fought with this killer most of my life. But the key takeaway here is to confront your overthinking and not let it stop you from pursuing your career goals. By following these tips, you can learn to overcome overthinking and finally change careers. You can also seek professional help or support from others if you feel that overthinking is affecting your mental health or well-being. Remember, you are not alone in this journey, and you have the power and potential to create the career and life you want. Don’t let overthinking hold you back. Take action today and make your career change happen. You deserve it.