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Overthinking: The psychology of catastrophizing and how to stop assuming the worst
We don’t see the future. We predict it — and sometimes we predict disaster before it’s even possible.
Catastrophizing is a mental reflex. It’s your mind, desperate for control, drawing monsters where none exist yet.
In this episode, we explore the quiet space between stimulus and story — the moment you could choose curiosity over certainty.
Relationships, careers, self-worth: all suffer when we confuse our imagined outcomes with inevitable truths. But if we learn to watch the story unfold without believing it, something remarkable happens. We reclaim possibility.
You’ll leave with:
Stop letting your brain run disaster drills for things that haven’t happened. Tune in.
How to Change the World
Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players:
Can't find it on your player?
This is the RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
AD-FREE with Premium:
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs + Bonus content
💬 Community Discord
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Get in Touch
👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement
Episode: Overthinking: The psychology of catastrophizing and how to stop assuming the worst
Chapters:
00:00 Why this topic is popular
01:45 What is catastrophising
04:18 Build awareness
07:10 Magnifying and minimising
08:32 More details feels more real.
10:16 The human tendency to just invent stories
13:22 ADHD
15:31 Catastrophizing and being diagnosed with ADHD
16:17 Balancing worst and best scenarios
17:23 Social anxiety example
19:09 Write a journal
20:31 Alex Hormozi selling gym subscriptions
21:09 Want and don't want chair
23:26 4 stages of intrusive thoughts
28:50 4 step method for mitigating catastrophization
28:50 Step 1 - Awareness
29:57 Step 2 - Challenging the thought
30:40 Step 3 - Imagine the best
31:11 Step 4 - Accept uncertainty
32:55 Catastrophizing is the opposite of Growth mindset
33:14 Episode summary
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
View all episodes
By Sam Webster Harris | Growth Mindset Psychology
4.5
325325 ratings
We don’t see the future. We predict it — and sometimes we predict disaster before it’s even possible.
Catastrophizing is a mental reflex. It’s your mind, desperate for control, drawing monsters where none exist yet.
In this episode, we explore the quiet space between stimulus and story — the moment you could choose curiosity over certainty.
Relationships, careers, self-worth: all suffer when we confuse our imagined outcomes with inevitable truths. But if we learn to watch the story unfold without believing it, something remarkable happens. We reclaim possibility.
You’ll leave with:
Stop letting your brain run disaster drills for things that haven’t happened. Tune in.
How to Change the World
Sam's new show can be found on major podcast players:
Can't find it on your player?
This is the RSS feed - https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/682b3b86696b5d1232d698a8
AD-FREE with Premium:
🤘 Support the show
🔓 Exclusive AMAs + Bonus content
💬 Community Discord
GrowthMindset.Supercast.com
Get in Touch
👋 Free Call - Schedule Link - https://cal.com/samwebster/mindset
📧 Email - GrowthMindsetPodcast (@) gmail,com
Growth Mindset Psychology:
Sam Webster explores the psychology of happiness, satisfaction, purpose, and growth through the lens of self-improvement.
📺 Watch - YouTube (Growth Mindset)
🛜 Website - Growth Mindset
Show: Growth Mindset, psychology of self-improvement
Episode: Overthinking: The psychology of catastrophizing and how to stop assuming the worst
Chapters:
00:00 Why this topic is popular
01:45 What is catastrophising
04:18 Build awareness
07:10 Magnifying and minimising
08:32 More details feels more real.
10:16 The human tendency to just invent stories
13:22 ADHD
15:31 Catastrophizing and being diagnosed with ADHD
16:17 Balancing worst and best scenarios
17:23 Social anxiety example
19:09 Write a journal
20:31 Alex Hormozi selling gym subscriptions
21:09 Want and don't want chair
23:26 4 stages of intrusive thoughts
28:50 4 step method for mitigating catastrophization
28:50 Step 1 - Awareness
29:57 Step 2 - Challenging the thought
30:40 Step 3 - Imagine the best
31:11 Step 4 - Accept uncertainty
32:55 Catastrophizing is the opposite of Growth mindset
33:14 Episode summary
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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