"There I was, four months into freelancing after being laid off, scrolling through LinkedIn at 2 AM, reading about everyone else's wins while my own career felt like it was on permanent pause. I'd spent the entire day "researching" potential story angles, diving deep into psychology journals, trend reports, anything that felt productive. But, in reality, I was just spinning my wheels, going nowhere fast."
"1) Overthinking disguised as planning How many hours have you spent mapping out the perfect strategy for a goal you never actually start working toward? I used to be the queen of this. When I was freelancing, I'd spend entire days researching every possible angle of a story, creating elaborate spreadsheets of potential publications, analyzing submission guidelines until my eyes hurt. It felt like preparation, but looking back? It was procrastination wearing a really convincing disguise."
Feeling stuck often stems from daily habits that feel safe but maintain stasis. People substitute extensive planning and research for actual action, a form of analysis paralysis linked to fear of failure. Those behaviors create self-reinforcing cycles that appear productive or protective yet prevent progress. Examples include overthinking disguised as planning, spending time curating options, and avoiding vulnerability that comes with trying. Excessive planning can reduce motivation to act. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward breaking them and redirecting energy into small, consistent actions that produce change.
Read at Silicon Canals
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