Introverts have a loud mind.
How loud? Imagine the Metallica concert in Moscow 1991. Yep, that loud.
This loud has hundreds and hundreds of thought. Thoughts about life, food, keeping a good health, relationships, the argument they had 10 years ago, getting a better job, kids’ education, living meaningful life. They’re constantly scrolling through thoughts like reels on Instagram.
But once on a while, they experience a glitch: They can’t scroll.
They keep spiralling around the same thought over and over again. If someone took a picture if the inside of their mind, it would look like this….
… a tornado of overthinking.
Like all tornados, this tornado also starts with a little speck of dust.
Having to choose between two options like a dress or a career path. A negative comment from a colleague. Something they read online that made them question their beliefs. A small failure in business. A comment on twitter from a bot. Getting rejected after the first date. When things didn’t go according to the script they prepared for 3 months.
It keeps on growing. And if something hits their heart, it just consumes their whole life.
But the most shocking part of this whole scenario is that these are the same people who give like the perfect advice.
These are the ones people go to when shit hits the fan. They fix things. Fix people. Inspire others to be better. Motivate friends and family. Help people to overcome breakups. Get people out of mental ruts. Counsel others to choose the best careers.
But when it comes to dealing with their own mind, it’s a totally different story.
It’s a fact that the same knowledge they use to help other can be applied to solving their own problems. To make money. To get a promotion. To market their product. To launch their book. To get fit and healthy. To ask someone they like on a date. To find their life’s purpose.
But overthinking destroys their intelligence.
Can we fix this? Yes. Here’s how.
1. Interrupt the loop with movement
Overthinking is energy stuck in the mind. And the fastest way out is to move the body.
Go for a walk, stretch, do 20 push-ups. Anything really that forces the brain to shift focus.
As Nietzsche said, “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” Even modern psychology backs it. A Stanford study found walking boosts creative thinking by 60%.
If you can’t think your way out of the spiral, walk your way out.
2. Name the thought, don’t wrestle it
When the tornado starts, label it: “This is worry.” or “This is regret.”
Dr. Daniel Siegel, professor of psychiatry at UCLA, calls this technique “Name it to tame it.”
Research shows simply naming emotions reduces their intensity in the brain. You don’t need to solve the thought, just calling it out loosens its grip.
3. Use the 5-5-5 rule
Ask yourself: Will this matter in 5 days? 5 months? 5 years?
Most spirals fail this test. The mind makes small problems look like earthquakes. This rule brings perspective.
As Seneca wrote, “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.”
Don’t fight it, see it for what it really is… a thought.
4. Turn the question around
Instead of asking “What if it goes wrong?”, ask “What if it goes right?”
Psychologist Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, showed that reframing negative thoughts creates “learned optimism”. A skill linked to greater success, health, and resilience.
Remember this: Overthinking thrives on worst-case scenarios. Flip the script, and the tornado dies.
5. Create a “worry container”
This is one of my favorites. Set a 15-minute slot in your day to worry. Write everything down. No filtering. Once the time’s up, close the notebook and move on.
People who “scheduled worry time” reduced anxiety significantly compared to those who tried to suppress thoughts.
Overthinking needs endless fuel. Contain it, and it runs out of oxygen.
Conclusion
Introverts have mastered the art of helping others quiet their storms. Now it’s time they apply the same wisdom inward. Because the mind doesn’t need to be fought, it needs to be guided.
“The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear.”
Most introverts think their loud mind is a weakness.
It’s not. It’s your power.
Because the same depth that makes you overthink also makes you creative, empathetic, and capable of seeing the world in a way no one else can.
You weren’t made to blend in. You were born to stand out.
That’s why I wrote my book Born to Stand Out—a guide for introverts who want to stop living inside their heads and start living their life with confidence, clarity, and purpose.
If you found these 5 tools useful, you’ll love what’s inside. Get your copy HERE.
Don’t just silence the noise. Learn to turn it into music.
Stay blessed,
Karun
This is me! That tornado is my brain. Particularly powerful at 3 am as it whirls through my long list of fears and anxieties. Walking is truly the circuit breaker—but not my go-to at 3 am. The box method works until my brain stages a breakout. On the plus side, I am the problem solver for everyone else, if often exhausted. Thank you for this!
Enjoyed reading this. So relatable…. 🤍