From Overthinking to Action: Breaking Through Resistance
From Overthinking to Action: Breaking Through Resistance
Have you ever felt stuck in a loop, overthinking every decision and trying to convince yourself to act, only to feel resistance growing stronger? This breakthrough came when I realized that I don’t need to think my way into doing things—I can simply create the state of action and let everything flow from there. This shift from forcing to allowing has been transformational, and I want to share how it’s working for me.
The Breakthrough: Stop Convincing, Start Creating
Recently, I signed up for a Bootcamp. In the past, I might have overanalyzed the decision—thinking through every possible outcome, trying to convince myself why it was a good idea, and likely creating resistance along the way. But this time, I approached it differently:
Instead of overthinking, I created the internal state of going to Bootcamp.
I felt the resistance arise but didn’t engage with it. Instead, I focused on the feeling of already being in motion.
I bypassed the mental chatter and simply acted.
It felt strange at first—almost too simple—but incredibly freeing. For the first time, I wasn’t caught in the trap of overthinking. I just decided, acted, and moved forward.
How My Journey with Visualizations Led to This Insight
This breakthrough didn’t happen overnight. It came through my own journey of experimenting with visualizations and recognizing the difference between sitting and thinking about something versus thinking of doing it.
One day, I sat down to visualize running. I wasn’t thinking about the mechanics of tying my shoes or stepping out the door—I was wrestling with my thoughts about whether I even wanted to run. My mind said, "I don’t feel like running," and then tried to convince itself why I should do it anyway. This mental tug-of-war created resistance. The more I thought about how much I didn’t feel like running, the harder it became to get up and act.
But then, I made a small but profound shift. Instead of thinking about why I didn’t feel like running, I focused on thinking of running as though I was already doing it. I imagined the rhythm of my breath, the steady motion of my legs, and the lightness of being in the moment. This simple switch changed everything. Suddenly, the resistance faded—not because I rationalized it away, but because I bypassed it entirely by aligning my thoughts with the action itself.
How to Gain Awareness of This Process
The best way to gain awareness is to try this yourself. Notice how you feel when you’re thinking about getting yourself to run right now versus when you’re imagining yourself already running.
When I think about running, it feels like my brain is trying to convince my body, which doesn’t feel like running, to go do it anyway. The thought comes up: "I don’t want to run." It becomes hard to take action because there’s internal resistance.
But when I visualize myself just running and avoid overthinking, my focus shifts naturally to the act itself. There’s little mental chatter, and the process feels effortless. It’s fascinating to observe this shift. If you sit and become aware of how you’re approaching tasks in this way, it can truly change your life. After all, any big goal is built on small steps, and getting yourself to act consistently is the foundation.
The Role of the Rational Brain in Resistance
If you think about it, the frontal lobes—or the rational part of the brain responsible for analysis and evaluation—function as an inhibitory mechanism. They suppress impulses to allow for deliberate action. While this ability to inhibit is valuable, it also restricts energy by redirecting it elsewhere rather than letting it flow naturally.
When you’re trying to get yourself to take action by analyzing or rationalizing, you’re essentially using inhibition. This approach can work, but it may become counterproductive if your body doesn’t feel aligned with the task. For example, telling yourself you need energy to run while your body feels resistant only creates more tension. The energy you’re seeking will naturally flow when you stop overthinking and simply take the first step into action.
Why Overthinking Creates Resistance
Overthinking creates resistance because it engages the analytical mind in a way that amplifies obstacles rather than dissolving them. Here’s what happens:
Energy Gets Stuck in the Mind:
The more you think about doing something, the more your mind focuses on the gap between where you are and where you want to be.
This creates a sense of friction and drains energy that could otherwise fuel action.
You Fixate on the Effort:
The analytical mind magnifies the perceived difficulty of the action, making it feel harder than it is.
Resistance Becomes a Loop:
The more you try to rationalize or convince yourself, the more resistance grows. It’s like trying to push a boulder uphill with your thoughts alone.
What Happens When You Focus on the State
When I shifted my focus to creating the internal state of going, everything changed. Here’s why this approach works:
You Align Mind and Body:
Instead of your mind working against your body, they move together. You feel the energy of action, not the friction of indecision.
Energy Flows Freely:
By not fixating on effort or outcomes, you allow energy to move naturally into the action itself. Resistance dissolves because there’s no mental block.
Momentum Carries You Forward:
The simple act of signing up for Bootcamp created momentum. I wasn’t thinking about the process or the effort involved—I was already in motion.
The Role of Trust in Allowing
A key part of this breakthrough has been learning to trust the process. Overthinking often stems from a desire to control every detail, while allowing requires a willingness to let go and believe that things will unfold as they should. At first, this felt uncomfortable—like stepping into the unknown. But as I’ve practiced it more, I’ve realized that trust is what transforms resistance into flow.
Trusting Visualizations: When I stopped forcing my visualizations and allowed them to unfold naturally, I was amazed at how much clarity and insight emerged without effort.
Trusting Action: Signing up for Bootcamp felt weird because I wasn’t trying to convince myself. I just acted and trusted that everything else would fall into place.
How Resistance Dissolves Through Action
When I felt resistance about going to Bootcamp, I didn’t fight it. Instead, I:
Acknowledged the Resistance:
Resistance is just a sensation—it’s not a command or a barrier. I noticed it but didn’t engage with it.
Shifted Focus to Action:
Instead of thinking about why I should go, I focused on the feeling of already going. This simple mental shift bypassed the need for justification.
Took the First Step:
Signing up was the small action that set everything in motion. Once I acted, the resistance faded because the energy was now flowing into the experience.
The Weirdness of Not Overthinking
This shift felt “weird” at first because it was so different from my usual habit of overanalyzing. For so long, I believed that thinking through every detail was the way to make good decisions. But here’s what I realized:
Overthinking is a habit rooted in control, not clarity.
Allowing action to flow feels strange because it requires trust—trust in the process, in yourself, and in the outcome.
Once you embrace it, the freedom is undeniable. You stop carrying the mental weight of indecision and step directly into the life you want.
The Energy of Action vs. Overthinking
One of the biggest insights I’ve had is how overthinking traps energy in mental constructs, while action releases it. When I thought about running, my mind would dwell on the effort and reasons not to do it. But when I simply started running, the energy flowed into my body, propelling me forward.
This applies to visualizations as well. When I tried to control every aspect of my visualizations, I felt stuck and drained. But when I let them flow naturally, I felt energized and inspired. Action and allowing are about moving energy, not holding it back.
Why This Is a Breakthrough
This approach represents a fundamental shift in how I operate:
From Forcing to Allowing:
I no longer try to convince my brain to act. Instead, I embody the state of action and let the rest follow naturally.
From Resistance to Flow:
Resistance arises when energy is stuck in the mind. By shifting into action, I allow energy to flow freely.
From Overthinking to Trusting:
Overthinking is about control; allowing is about trust. Trusting the process opens the door to effortless action.
Key Insight
You don’t need to think your way into action. When you create the internal state of doing, resistance fades, and everything aligns naturally. Whether it’s signing up for a Bootcamp or making any other decision, the key is to stop overthinking, trust your instincts, and take the first step.
This approach has been transformational for me, and I hope it inspires you to embrace the freedom of acting without overthinking. What action have you been overthinking lately, and how can you shift into creating the state instead?
