The Shift from Overthinking to Action

A month ago, prior to joining buildspace, an idea boot camp, I contemplated starting a newsletter. This was something I had wanted to do for over a year, but I never mustered the courage to begin. I convinced myself that I needed to establish more "credibility" before taking the plunge.

What changed? Well, this very story marks the first edition of my newly launched newsletter, indicating that I managed to push through my imposter syndrome—at least enough to start. The turning point was taking decisive action. Instead of merely thinking about the newsletter, I launched it and began sharing it with others.

Participating in the buildspace boot camp was an intense experience that consistently motivated me to take action. Additionally, I had a conversation with a friend who is also at the beginning stages of building his project. Imposter syndrome naturally emerged as a topic of discussion.

During our conversation, my friend suggested, “To prove to yourself that you are not an imposter, start applying your knowledge.” He meant that when we remain idle and overthink, we often conclude that we are not capable enough to pursue our goals. However, if we set aside those thoughts and take action based on what we already know, we often realize that we possess more knowledge than we remember, and we are far more prepared than we initially believed.

This has led me to embrace the idea of doing things and refining my approach as I progress, rather than getting caught up in the quest for a perfect start—an unattainable goal.

Identifying My Roadblocks

What were my main obstacles when I hesitated to launch my newsletter? Here are a few:

1. Name: What should I call it? It needs to be catchy yet authentic.
2. Logo: If I have a great name, I should have an equally impressive logo.
3. Branding: Can I really do something cool without solid branding?
4. Topics: Shouldn't I have a plethora of topics and drafts prepared beforehand?
5. Email: Should I use my personal email or purchase a domain? How do I choose a name if I don’t have one yet?
6. Credibility: What qualifies me to write a newsletter? Why would anyone read it?

These are just a few of the hurdles I allowed to hinder me for far too long. However, the most significant barrier was consistency. After enduring years of depression, losing jobs due to fluctuating energy levels, and failing to follow through on personal projects, I lost faith in my ability to remain consistent.

For much of my adult life, I have grappled with mental health challenges, which led to a new belief about myself: that I was simply not the type of person who could get things done anymore.

The Connection Between Imposter Syndrome and Limiting Beliefs

This is why it’s crucial to discuss imposter syndrome alongside limiting beliefs. Imposter syndrome is, in fact, a limiting belief. By labeling unhelpful thoughts as limiting beliefs, we can tackle them more effectively. It’s simpler to confront something that has a name rather than feeling overwhelmed when nothing seems to change.

Beliefs consist of thoughts and emotions we accumulate throughout our lives, shaping our sense of self. The way we perceive ourselves is often distorted; it’s merely a collection of concepts we’ve adopted along the way. Some of these beliefs date back to childhood and can cause significant issues years later.

When we recognize beliefs as mere thoughts mixed with emotions, it becomes easier to question and replace those that no longer serve us. However, the challenge lies in our day-to-day perception of these beliefs.

The emotional attachment we have to our self-concepts makes it difficult to let go of them. Even when we are aware of certain beliefs causing us distress, it’s not always easy to identify them as limiting because of the emotional weight they carry.

Shifting Your Perspective

Recently, I developed a mental tool that has been helpful in shifting my mindset. It enabled me to alter one of my self-beliefs in a single day, which is certainly achievable with self-awareness and the courage to release our attachments to our identities.

I find it beneficial to approach personal changes as experiments. For example, I recently had to record a video discussing my project, the.bridge, which aims to make therapy more affordable.

Public speaking has always terrified me. I would stutter, lose my breath, and feel physical discomfort. However, I recognized the necessity of overcoming this fear, as public speaking skills could be advantageous in my future endeavors.

As I prepared to record, I felt anxiety creeping in. Unexpectedly, a new thought crossed my mind: “What if I were confident?” I repeated this question and visualized how I would act if I were truly at ease in front of the camera.

The outcome was not a flawless video, but it marked a significant milestone for me. I realized that overcoming the fear of public speaking revealed that I simply needed to hone my skills in recording and editing, all of which can be learned with time and practice.

This experience underscored the futility of my previous beliefs. Before adopting this experimental mindset, I thought, "I am terrible at public speaking; I’ll never be good at it." However, after embracing this new perspective, my mindset shifted to: "I’m not bad at it! I can improve with practice."

The Journey Takes Time

I don’t want this to sound like a quick fix or a simple life hack. Many conversations around this topic can mislead people into thinking change comes easily, but that’s not the reality for most of us.

My ability to ask myself reflective questions stems from three years of therapy, extensive reading on psychology and self-improvement, and daily meditation practice. This foundation has allowed me to connect with myself and understand my thoughts better, enabling me to adjust my course as needed.

That said, you may find that you can change your beliefs faster and more easily than I did. I’m not suggesting that my approach is the only path. I merely want to emphasize that meaningful change often requires time and effort.

So, if you try this method and don’t see immediate results, refrain from criticizing yourself or adopting a new limiting belief that you can’t change your mindset.

What You Can Do

Before attempting to overcome your beliefs, it’s wise to first identify them and assess how they make you feel. Journaling can be an effective tool for this process. Here’s a prompt to help you start:

“What’s one thing I genuinely want to do but keep delaying? If I were to be completely honest, what would I say is causing the delay? Are there deeper reasons? What if I took action in the next 30 minutes? How would that feel? What would change?”

For me, it was the desire to start a newsletter but feeling unqualified to do so. I realized my hesitation stemmed from seeking validation. Ultimately, I recognized that I knew how to proceed, and the finer details could be figured out along the way.

The key takeaway is that we can’t predict outcomes based on our current perspectives. Even those with extensive experience, like my brother who recently launched a new AI-driven company, can’t foresee the results accurately.

This principle applies to everyone, whether you are just starting or have been on your journey for a while. Beliefs are simply thoughts mixed with emotions; they do not define us or the world around us. Limiting beliefs can bind us to expected outcomes or deter us from taking action altogether.

Final Thoughts

I’m Justyna Cyrankiewicz, and I focus on exploring simple concepts to help untangle complex thoughts. If you found value in this article, consider subscribing to my weekly letters, where I share insights with a community of like-minded individuals.

Please remember, this narrative is based on my personal experiences, readings, and teachings. If you are struggling with mental health, please seek support from friends, professionals, or support groups tailored to your needs.

Thank you for reading!

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