Knowledge can be a hindrance. The more we know, the more likely we’re to hesitate in times of execution.
So the overthinking basketball player misses a wide-open layup, the tennis player misses an easy return, or the painter or writer can’t seem to get their inspiration to convert on a blank canvas.
We trip over our best selves. Stalling is also a symptom of facing the resistance. When we try too hard to be perfect, we end up producing nothing at all.
So how can we stem the tide of excess contemplation?
One of the ways to think less is to do it poorly.
For the artist, that may mean making until we have something to play with. As Vincent Van Gogh put it: “Just slap anything on when you see a blank canvas staring you in the face like some imbecile.”
Another way to readjust the psychological thermostat is by substituting perfection with joy. When we enjoy what we’re doing, everything else disappears. Execution doesn’t need thought.
We are ultimately our best when we’re relaxed and instinctive, free from the chaos of the monkey mind.
Unthinking is the ability to apply years of learning at the crucial moment by removing your thinking self from the equation. Its power is not confined to sport: actors and musicians know about it too, and are apt to say that their best work happens in a kind of trance.
Non cogito, ergo sum
So do the work and let go, let God. Once you get out of your head, you’ll get out of your own way.
art via giphy
Comments
65 responses to “How to unthink”
You’re very welcome. It’s so much better when we loosen up and can be confident in pursuing imperfection.
Great tip! I’m so guilty of wanting to be perfect that I overthink EVERYTHING. It’s so frustrating too because it stops me from the things I really want to.
Even with my blogging, I found my best content was when I just spent 30 minutes or so writing what ever came to my mind about a specific topic, not overthinking it…but then sometimes I sabotage myself when I get ready to publish, thinking it’s not good enough. Sigh.
Well, I’m seriously going to try your advice to just “let go” and enjoy what I’m doing.
Thanks for sharing this!
You got it! Glad you found it helpful 😉
Easier said than done! I wish I could “unthink” at night! I am going to practice this week! Thank you.
Yes. My best writing is when I just let it go and do not try to control it.
So true
Unthinking is so important in this day and age, it comes I think also with tiring off our care function ☺️
True, whatever gets you out of your head.
I’ll have to remember that when I’m writing and just go with the flow. You can always edit later, right? Thanks for the reminder.
Good analogy! If we can’t just get of our own heads sometimes…
This is why I turn on Peppa Pig. Brain chill time 😁
So true. Recently went to a drumming workshop. Have not drummed in years and forget pretty well everything I knew. I was trying too hard and at one point was like “just go with muscle memory” as my hands will know.
Easy to say but a skill that needs to be honed!
Yes, drown out the noise by doing! Try some music as well. Focusatwill is helpful.
This is so true! When I overthink anything– especially my writing– I get frustrated with myself, and I’m unhappy with what I produce. But when I just let the words flow and stop thinking so hard about it, I find the passion and love that I have for writing.
Over thinking is a symptom of perfectionism. something that I am doing my best to over come. But I won’t think about that today 😉
I think this is very apt considering we do need to unthink to take a breath abd focus cearly ❤
Bit banal but only way to do it is to do it.
nice post. I was thinking earlier about how I set myself a goal of writing a blog a day and I think that constrained me. I overthought it and didn’t just let inspiration take me as it saw fit.
Thanks Kaitlin! The old adage rings true: the only way to do it is to do it, no matter how poorly.
I love that Van Gogh quote!!!! The simplicity of it is inspiring!
– Kaitlin
kedgotwed.com
We are all prone to perfection. As Margaret Atwood writes: “If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word.”
I’m really bad about overthinking things but your post is inspired me to try harder to not let that happen…
Interesting idea!!! Think I’ll be trying this soon!
Ha, good question! First time I saw it was in this book >>> http://amzn.to/2wvIGM7
Relax and let go, easier said than done for sure. Thx for the comment!
Everything is practice. Once you do the work, you can better trust the executional aspect.
Absolutely and writing them down via long-hand is proven to help reduce anxiety — see the Artist’s Way Journal http://amzn.to/2g2KOUI. Plus, the little hesitation of getting from the brain to the pen is just the amount of time you need to edit what you’re trying to say, aka disfluency https://wellsbaum.blog/2016/09/07/improve-your-writing-with-this-technique/
Is this an actual word? Like it unthink
Ha, well said. I think that’s the paradox: we get caught in the try. When I can tell myself to avoid perfection I usually act — whether in sports or writing — with more freedom.
I needed to read this today. Thank you. I’m always thinking about trying to unthink, Or something.
Great post. I tend to do alot of life contemplating in the middle of the month. Writing things down in a journal – such as goals and priorities helps my mind calm down.
I love the idea of unthinking. I need to retrain my brain to not go a million miles an hour and focus more on the simple unthinking
This is amazing! I definitely need to master the art of unthinking
You got it 😉 The mind works even when it’s at rest.
This is a really good conversation about the importance of being mindful. Thanks for the info!
Appreciate it Alyssa! Anxiety is a beast. I wrote a book with some tips that may help. https://wellsbaum.blog/rule-ocd-20-tips-to-overcoming-ocd/
I’d love to be able to shut my mind off sometimes. I have anxiety so my brain is usually going at about 100 miles an hour – especially at night. It’s not fun. Also, I love your Support the blog button – the design is great!
Right on, helps us break through!
Absolutely love this. Sometimes we ALL need a reminder to UNTHINK!
Thanks for your comment Patricia. Everything is practice.
Right on Ashley. Sometimes it helps to step away, literally, to go for a walk or take a shower. By turning off, we let the mind go to work.
This makes so much sense to me, even if it might be a little challenging to undertake. I will definitely give this a go the next time I’m stuck!
This is SO me!!! Constantly fighting with my monkey mind, overthinking and over analyzing every possible decision. While knowledge is power, it all depends on what type of knowledge and how use it.
I hate when I overthink things. It really backs you into a corner and you lose site of the whole picture sometimes.
Yes, me too!
Right?! Ironically it’s all the thinking and preparation done prior that gets you there.
I have heard of the flow state, when the mind moves faster than the pen or the eye faster than the camera. Wish there was a way to prompt it automatically 😉
Love this. I totally need to unthink right now!!
Have you ever read about the state of flow? The description of flow reminds me of the “trance” that artists and musicians talk about. I agree that over thinking can cause a hindrance to productivity. I have definitely experienced this before.
Well said. I like that way of thinking about it. ““The first draft of anything is sh*t.” — Ernest Hemingway
This is absolutely true – when I face a writing deadline and can’t seem to start -it’s not because I don’t have enough info or ideas, but because I have too many! When that happens I just turn off the “logical/factual” part of my brain that “knows” and just write freely and enjoy the process of creating without overthinking it.. Later I come back and let the “logical thinking” part of my brain do the editing and fact checking
True. In sport this is the autonomous stage of learning- everything just becomes automatic in the game.
Appreciate the comment. And so true; as much as I enjoy silence, it too can dry up the creative swell. The ambient hum of the coffee usually provides the right balance. That sound is worth seeking.
Wells,
I agree, silencing the monkey mind takes practice. A major thing that has helped to silence mine is age. When I was younger, the damn thing wouldn’t shut up. But as I’ve gotten older and tend to care less what others think about me & my efforts, I have come to care much less, indeed even not to hear as well, the things that monkey has to say. Another practice I’ve recently found to be helpful is to write in a relatively chaotic environment. Interruptions often come at fortuitous moments just when I’m starting to obsess over a detail to the point it bogs me down, and sometimes the interruption brings with it the inspiration I needed to resolve the mounting tension.
Take care, be well, and happy blogging,
Denny
Yeah it’s a bit of paradox, especially now that you’re aware of it and will now try to turn it off. I just know when I really enjoy something everything else just disappears. Fear-setting may help too >>> https://wellsbaum.blog/2017/06/13/ted-talk-tim-ferriss-fear-setting/
I really needed to read this today. Sometimes I overthink every little aspect of things and get stuck not knowing how to go forward anymore. Thank you for this lovely blog post, I will try to act calculatedly stupid and just go on and enjoy things. Thank youu
The irony is that it takes some initial effort in order to strike that balance. Everything is practice.
I feel like this is along the lines of me telling my daughter to stop overthinking every little thing. It can take the fun out of things.