STP 119 | Progress Over Perfection: Escaping the Overthinking Trap
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[00:00:05] Analyzing means that you never have to risk anything if you're just thinking, you feel like you're doing something. But you don't have to risk choosing something wrong. So your, your overthinking keeps you stuck, but your brain thinks it keeps, keeps you safe, but while it keeps you safe, it's actually costing you more than you realize.
[00:00:28] I. Hi friend. Welcome to the scaling therapy practice. I'm James Marland, your course creation coach.
[00:00:37] Speaker 3: I'm here to help
[00:00:38] Speaker: therapists who want to scale their reach with effective online courses.
[00:00:43] Speaker 3: I'll share with you all the tools, tips,
[00:00:45] Speaker 3: and technology I've learned along the way that will help you put your mission in motion
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[00:00:54] Hey, just a quick note before we begin. Have you ever thought about launching your own CE [00:01:00] course? You never got started or you got stuck in the technology or the process or the steps or the requirements? I have a solution for you. On Thursday, June 26th, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, we're having a course idea to paycheck workshop. By the end of the workshop, you'll have addressed the common fears and mental blocks holding you back. You've chosen a CE topic that aligns with your niche and what your audience actually needs.
[00:01:26] You're gonna learn to design a course that keeps learners, learners engaged and meets accreditation standards, and you're gonna have access to templates and frameworks that get you started fast. This workshop is going to be hosted by Leo DeRock. He's from Counselor's Choice Award.
[00:01:42] He's written many CE courses and has years of experience publishing successful courses. You won't wanna miss it. Go to course creation studio.com/idea to paycheck to register for this workshop.
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[00:02:02] Today we're gonna talk about escaping the overthinking trap. Now as a professional therapist, somebody who helps people when it comes to earning extra money from your experience and from your therapy practice.
[00:02:16] You might feel like there's a lot of choices, like there's a crossroads with a thousand different options for you to do, and you're not sure if any of them are good or will pan out. Do you hire staff? Do you raise your rates? You just take on more clients and work more? Write a book. Build a course. Teach an intensive hold a group, gathering a conference.
[00:02:40] You release a podcast. Teach at a college with your expertise. There, there's almost an unlimited number of things you could do to share your knowledge that you could earn some extra money on. if you're anything like the experts I work with, you know, you're, you're called to do something great.
[00:02:57] You're called to help people. You're called to do something bigger and [00:03:00] people need your experience. But when it comes to taking steps to do those things, you might get stuck. Stuck because every choice you make, every path you take has a cost. Every decision costs something, right? Like time. It costs your time, it costs money, it co opportunity costs, which is the things you could have done that you didn't do.
[00:03:23] So if you build a course, you're not gonna see as many clients. That's opportunity time. Then there's money. Investment energy, attention, and when you add up all these things, honestly, you're already, you're already maxed out, you're already full, you're already tired, and it's hard to move forward. And that's what overthinking and overgeneralizing does. It keeps you safe, but it also can keep you stuck or can keep you comfortable, but not growing. And today I wanna show you why overthinking isn't just laziness. It's actually fear and [00:04:00] disguise. Why it feels like, uh, overthinking feels like you're doing something, like you're accomplishing something.
[00:04:08] You're, you're working through the options and you're analyzing things, but it really, you're really not getting anywhere. And we're gonna learn to choose progress over perfection. So let's, uh, dig into this. Overthinking isn't laziness, it's fear in disguise. It reminds me of the time overthinking. I always go back to this.
[00:04:29] When I think about overthinking, it reminds me of the time where I, uh, I had to pick out a screwdriver at the hardware store. I. And I went in and I just needed a simple screwdriver for, I think I was doing some electrical work, but when I got to the tool aisle, there was rows and rows of screwdrivers.
[00:04:46] Some were special with lots of tools and tips that you could put in. Uh, some just was a package of five or 10 screwdrivers, and then there was just this sole lonely screwdriver that was by itself. [00:05:00] That was cheaper and all of 'em had different costs. So I just sat there and looked at 'em. I was like, what screwdriver do I buy?
[00:05:07] Like, what, which one's gonna gimme, gimme the most band for the bang for the buck. Will I need 10 different screwdrivers? Uh, will I need the one with the different tips? There were just, there was fancy ones, cheap ones, bells and whistles, and I just analyzed, will I use it? How much will it cost? And I, and I just stuck there.
[00:05:29] And sometimes when this happens, my wife is like, why? Why were you at the hardware store for 30 minutes or an hour for a screwdriver? Like, what were you doing? And um, I just get frozen sometimes even with some of these simple decisions I. And all the time while I was thinking about buying the screwdriver, I wasn't getting the job done.
[00:05:54] So all I needed was one screwdriver that worked. And so what I ended up doing is buying the one that was specifically for the [00:06:00] job of, uh, the electrical job that I did. It had a little bit of insulation. It was a little fancier. It had some tips that I could swap them out, but, uh, it was good and that that's how some life decisions work, uh, in life and in business.
[00:06:17] The, the more we think, the more we think. And while, uh, an analyzing the decision to buy the screwdriver kept me safe. It, I wasn't doing any work while I was doing it. I wasn't making any progress. Brianna West says it best in the mountain, is you. She says, your coping mechanisms aren't built for growth.
[00:06:39] They're built for survival. And man, that really hit me because overthinking. It keeps me safe. It keeps me in the safe zone. It keeps me out of danger because going out and doing something new feels dangerous. You know, hiring new staff feels dangerous. Uh, building another building feels [00:07:00] dangerous. Making a course and choosing a different, you know, working for yourself feels dangerous and endless.
[00:07:05] Analyzing means that you never have to risk anything if you're just thinking, you feel like you're doing something. But you don't have to risk choosing something wrong. So your, your overthinking keeps you stuck, but your brain thinks it keeps, keeps you safe, but while it keeps you safe, it's actually costing you more than you realize.
[00:07:28] I. Because overthinking feels like moment movement, but you're really not going anywhere. Um, somebody once explained it to me like this, overthinking is like sitting in a rocking chair. You're moving, you're expending energy. You feel busy, but you're really not moving forward. It's comfortable to stay busy, you know, it's comfortable to feel like you're doing something and it feels safer than taking a wrong step.
[00:07:55] But in the end, you're not moving. I think the example I have here [00:08:00] for me right now is, uh, uh, LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a tool, um, that most people have access to, and it, for me, it's just sitting in my toolbox. I'll post here and there, uh, but really without a plan and without traction. I kept thinking about getting help, I kept thinking, you know, I know there's people on LinkedIn who are using it to build a network and, uh, reach their audience.
[00:08:24] And that's where I wanna be. I don't wanna be on, you know, Instagram where I have to do silly dances. I don't wanna be on Facebook where there's all these ads. I wanna be on the platform where there's, um, entrepreneurs and, and cowork coworking people and people to network with. So I think about getting help.
[00:08:43] I think about buying a course, then I hesitate. 'cause really, I. The, the courses take cost more money than I really want to do. And um, and I just think about it and think about it, but I realized, and this is one of the tips I'll provide later, I [00:09:00] realized I'm 80% sure I. I need help and accountability. I'm 80% sure that LinkedIn is gonna be a major part of my, um, networking and marketing.
[00:09:10] I'm 80% sure that the person I'm going to, or I'm more than 80% sure, I'm more than 80% sure that the person I'm talking to knows what she's doing and can help me. So with all those things, even with all the. Um, unknowns. I bought the course, and guess what? That cleared my mind. Instead of getting stuck, I actually, instead of rocking and rocking and rocking with the decision, I actually made a decision and I stood up and I moved a di towards a direction that I believe will help me.
[00:09:42] And it, it clears your mind. Like when you make a decision, it clears your mind. Now instead of spinning my wheels and just. Not having a plan for LinkedIn. I'm getting some clarity. I have momentum. It's, believe me, it's not perfect. I'm, I'm not, I'm not a super fan of, [00:10:00] um, producing content. Um, you know, I'm not a writer.
[00:10:04] How about that? I'm not a writer, but it's, it's progress. Um, and you gotta remember that busy is not the same as progress. Busy is not the same as moving forward doing. Activity is not progress. Motion is not progress. You might think you're protecting yourself. You might think that making all those checklists and, uh, analyzing things and doing all that research is gonna make sure you absolutely don't make a mistake.
[00:10:39] But the real mistake is just staying stuck and not taking action. Um. When you take action, you get clarity, confidence, and momentum. So the antidote here is progress over perfection. Um, imperfect, massive, massive, imperfect movement. [00:11:00] You don't need the perfect map, you don't need the perfect plan. You actually just need a direction to go, a compass to go, and the courage to to move.
[00:11:09] So here are seven practical tips to help you break free from overthinking. Number one is just start with what you know. A ask yourself, what do you need? What do you know for sure right now? And what you do is you just do the next thing. So if you were going to, uh, if you had to go wash your car, what was the, what would be the next thing you would need to do?
[00:11:33] Well, you might, uh, need to locate a car wash. So the next thing you need to do is open up Google Maps or whatever map. Program you use and type in car wash and just write that down. And so you know the next thing you need to do, you've broken it into a step and you know that the absolute next thing you do need to do is, is, uh, find that car wash.
[00:11:59] [00:12:00] Now it works for bigger things too. Let's say you need to hire a new therapist. Well, what's the next thing you need to do with hiring a therapist? What, what's the absolute like hiring a therapist is a big deal and there's a lot that goes into it, but what's the absolute first thing you need to do? Maybe it's write a job description, or maybe it's even before writing the job description.
[00:12:23] Maybe it's define their tasks or their role. So what's the absolute first thing you need to do? Start there. Uh, the next, uh, next tip, tip two is apply the 80% rule. I love this rule. Uh, it gives me a. It gives me, uh, an anchor to go to. If you're 80% sure that's enough to move forward and you choose progress over perfection, you're building a raft, not a yacht.
[00:12:54] I. This 80% rule may works for [00:13:00] me. I like 80% because I'm not a super risk taker. But maybe, maybe your tolerance is 70%. Maybe your tolerance is, you know what, if I'm 70% sure I'm gonna move forward, that means 30% of the time, I'm probably gonna make a mistake, but I'm okay with that. What's your tolerance level?
[00:13:20] The next tip is done is better. Then perfect. Today I am, uh, I'm behind on my podcasting. Uh, I need a haircut. Um, I'm probably not gonna get all my social media out for this podcast. I'm just a little bit behind. I've been on vacation two weekends in a row, but I'm gonna get a podcast out. It's not gonna be perfect.
[00:13:43] There's gonna be some mistakes, but. It's gonna get out there. Done is better than perfect. The next tip I've, uh, forgot my numbering here is just trust yourself. Trust. Trust in who you are. Like your, your mind might tell you you're not [00:14:00] good enough. Who's gonna listen to you? Why? You know, why should you be hired?
[00:14:05] Why are you a manager? Why are you a leader? Why should you hire that person? Why should you teach that course?
[00:14:14] Listen, listen to what you know about yourself. You, you are an expert. You have skills, you have overcome things. You've done great things in the past. You're gonna do great things in the future. So trust yourself that you can course correct as you go. The next tip is set. Gentle guidelines. Just give your decisions a container to go with.
[00:14:38] Tell yourself that you're gonna decide by the end of day or be by Friday, or you're going to research it for just one hour. Sure. Research might be your best quality because you're really good at it and it excites you, but give it a deadline so that your, your greatest strength doesn't also become your greatest weakness.[00:15:00]
[00:15:00] Uh. Another tip here. Last tip is accept that risk is a part of growth. Oh man, this is, this is, uh, this speaks right to me because I don't like risk. I don't, I don't like making a decision that might be messy. Um, and I. If you don't make those messy decisions, you're not gonna grow. Your brain wants to keep you safe.
[00:15:26] It wants to keep you from making those decisions. It doesn't, it doesn't care about your growth. And so it's very easy to not make those risky, you know, risky decisions. Every choice comes at a risk. Doing nothing is a risk. So growth happens when you move. You take those steps towards your goal. Uh, remember going back to my, um, my screwdriver store.
[00:15:55] You don't need 10 screwdrivers. You don't need the fanciest screwdriver. You don't need a [00:16:00] package of screwdrivers. You don't need the cheapest screwdriver. You just need the right one. You just need the, a good one, one that does the job, one that fits the bill. Now, this, this might, this might s. Sound a bit, uh, overkill, but this is one of the things that has really helped me over the last couple years is, uh, I set out a vision for my life.
[00:16:26] I wrote a eulogy, uh, you know, what would I want people to say about me? You know, what would my fa, what would I want my family to say about me, my friends, my coworkers, um, the community at large? What are, what are the good things I would want them to say to me? Not, you know, in a morbid way, but as a way to picture where, where I wanna go at the end of my life?
[00:16:46] Who, what relationships do I wanna cherish? The work I want to be known for the people I want to impact. And from there I built out some vision sheets. 10 years, five years, one year. What? What am I doing 10 years from now, five years from now, and [00:17:00] one year from now? And I read those five times a week probably.
[00:17:05] Then I have goals from those sheets. I have up to three goals that I'm working on right now. I'm working on launching my cohort. Group, because I wanna help therapists and course, um, coaches and PE experts earn extra money with their expertise and stop burning out. And also, but also help more people, you know, put their mission in motion.
[00:17:31] So anyways, every day, uh, I have the, I read those things and then I, I take out a daily goal sheet and I write down the three things that would move me closer to my goal. I don't always get all three of them done, but at least by the end of the week, I've done at least seven big things. That will move me closer to my goals.
[00:17:48] And sometimes it's as simple as calling my mom 'cause I wanna have a good relationship with her. Or it could be as big as building a landing page for the new workshop that I'm doing. [00:18:00] You know, uh, it's just one, one thing that I'm moving closer to my goals. It's not about doing it perfectly, but it gives me clarity and it, it also helps me to stop overthinking because it helps me say.
[00:18:14] If when decisions come up, is this part of something that I really wanna do? Is this part of something that I'm heading for? Well, then if yes, it's an easy yes. If no, it's an easy no, that just keeps me moving forward. Uh, I hope that helps you. It really helped me. Uh, so here's what I want you to remember today.
[00:18:33] You know, overthinking isn't laziness. It's it's fear. It's a coping mechanism. It's your brain keeping you safe. It feels like moving. It feels like you're doing something, but it, it's really just a rocking chair. A lot of motion without any movement forward. Taking small steps, making progress, not focusing on perfection is how you break free.[00:19:00]
[00:19:00] So just take one small step. What one small step are you going to take? What's one goal that you want to accomplish? And if you broke it down far enough, what's the very next thing? You would wanna do to accomplish it. Thanks so much for joining me on the show. Remember, if you have a tip that helps you stop overthinking, or if you liked one of these, uh, post it on LinkedIn, put it in the article, or just message me. I'd love to hear how this is impacting you. Till next time, This is James Marland. It's now time to put your mission in motion.
