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:

Understanding of how the brain creates fear to protect itself

Tools for building awareness instead of reaction

A framework for making peace with uncertainty — and using it to grow

The psychology that makes false fears feel real

Stop letting your brain run disaster drills for things that haven’t happened. Tune in.

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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 popular01:45 What is catastrophising04:18 Build awareness07:10 Magnifying and minimising08:32 More details feels more real.10:16 The human tendency to just invent stories13:22 ADHD15:31 Catastrophizing and being diagnosed with ADHD16:17 Balancing worst and best scenarios17:23 Social anxiety example19:09 Write a journal20:31 Alex Hormozi selling gym subscriptions21:09 Want and don't want chair23:26 4 stages of intrusive thoughts28:50 4 step method for mitigating catastrophization28:50 Step 1 - Awareness 29:57 Step 2 - Challenging the thought30:40 Step 3 - Imagine the best31:11 Step 4 - Accept uncertainty32:55 Catastrophizing is the opposite of Growth mindset33:14 Episode summaryLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices