Motivation Psychology: How to Not Be Overwhelmed

HealthyGamerGG

16 Nov 201906:50

Summary

TLDRThe video script delves into the concept of feeling overwhelmed, distinguishing between passive and active challenges in life. It posits that a sense of being overwhelmed arises when passive challenges, which we don't choose, outweigh active challenges, which we do. The script suggests that rather than reducing life's demands, taking on more active challenges can alleviate this feeling. By doing so, individuals can regain control, expend unused energy, and reduce anxiety, ultimately feeling less overwhelmed and more accomplished.

Takeaways

🧘‍♂️ Feeling overwhelmed is often a result of a disconnect between passive and active challenges in life.
🤔 Passive challenges are those that happen to us without our choice, like unexpected obstacles or difficulties.
🏋️ Active challenges are the tasks or goals we choose to undertake, such as starting a project or learning a new skill.
📉 Overwhelm arises when passive challenges outweigh the active ones, leading to a sense of being out of control.
🔄 The common instinct to combat overwhelm is to reduce the passive challenges or to do less.
🚀 A counterintuitive solution is to add more active challenges to take control and expend unused energy.
💪 Taking on active challenges helps in reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed by giving a sense of accomplishment and control.
🧠 Anxiety is described as a disorder of excess mental energy, which can be mitigated by engaging in active challenges.
🌀 Active challenges help in expending energy, which in turn reduces anxiety by utilizing the energy that would otherwise cause restlessness.
🌱 Starting small with an active challenge, like cleaning a room, can initiate a positive upward spiral in overcoming feelings of being overwhelmed.
🔄 The more control one has over their life by taking on active challenges, the less likely they are to feel overwhelmed.

Q & A

What are the two types of challenges described in the script?
-The two types of challenges are passive challenges, which happen to us and are beyond our control, and active challenges, which we choose to take on ourselves.
How does the speaker define passive challenges?
-Passive challenges are challenges that happen to us without our choice. They are the difficulties that life throws our way, such as dealing with an insurance company denying a medication prescription.
What are active challenges according to the script?
-Active challenges are the tasks and goals that we choose to take on, such as deciding to write a book or start streaming. These challenges are chosen by us and involve effort and commitment.
What is the relationship between passive challenges, active challenges, and feeling overwhelmed?
-Feeling overwhelmed occurs when passive challenges outweigh active challenges. This imbalance makes us feel like we are not in control of our lives.
What is the common instinct when feeling overwhelmed, and why might it not be effective?
-The common instinct is to do less and reduce the amount of life’s demands. However, this might not be effective because it does not address the root cause of feeling overwhelmed, which is the lack of control over our challenges.
What is the 'secret solution' to feeling overwhelmed suggested in the script?
-The secret solution is to take on more active challenges, which helps to regain a sense of control over life and reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed.
Why do active challenges help in reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed?
-Active challenges help because they allow us to expend energy and take control over some aspects of our lives. This reduces the sense of helplessness and boosts feelings of accomplishment and control.
How does the speaker describe the effect of active challenges on anxiety?
-The speaker describes anxiety as unused energy bouncing around in the mind. By taking on active challenges, we expend this energy, which reduces anxiety and the feeling of being overwhelmed.
What practical advice does the speaker give for starting to feel less overwhelmed?
-The practical advice is to choose and engage in tasks that you want to do, thereby adding active challenges to your life. This can help regain control and reduce feelings of being overwhelmed.
What example does the speaker give to illustrate the positive effect of taking on active challenges?
-The speaker gives the example of someone starting to clean their room. Initially feeling overwhelmed by life, the act of cleaning the room (an active challenge) helped them feel more in control and less overwhelmed.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Understanding Overwhelm: Passive vs. Active Challenges

The paragraph discusses the concept of feeling overwhelmed and introduces two types of challenges: passive and active. Passive challenges are those that life imposes on us without our choice, while active challenges are those we choose to undertake. The author uses examples to illustrate the difference between the two, explaining that feeling overwhelmed often results from an imbalance where passive challenges outweigh active ones. The key to overcoming this overwhelm is either to reduce the passive challenges or to increase the active challenges, thus gaining more control over one's life.

05:01

🧘 Regaining Control by Taking on Active Challenges

This paragraph elaborates on the idea that feeling overwhelmed is synonymous with feeling out of control. It proposes that by taking on more active challenges, individuals can regain a sense of control and reduce feelings of overwhelm. The author shares personal examples of various responsibilities and tasks, suggesting that choosing to engage in additional self-chosen activities can provide a sense of accomplishment and control, thus diminishing the feeling of being overwhelmed.

🔄 The Psychological Benefits of Active Challenges

The paragraph explains the psychological benefits of taking on active challenges. It describes how active challenges help expend mental energy, which otherwise contributes to anxiety. Anxiety is characterized as excess mental energy, and by engaging in active challenges, individuals can use this energy constructively. This, in turn, reduces anxiety and the feeling of being overwhelmed, creating a positive cycle of increased control and decreased stress.

🚀 The Upward Spiral of Taking Control

This paragraph emphasizes the idea that taking on active challenges creates an upward spiral of positivity. By accomplishing tasks and taking control, individuals feel less overwhelmed and more capable of handling additional responsibilities. The author uses the example of someone cleaning their room to illustrate how a simple active challenge can lead to a greater sense of control and reduced feelings of being overwhelmed, ultimately enhancing one's ability to manage life effectively.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Overwhelmed

The term 'overwhelmed' refers to a feeling of being excessively burdened or unable to cope due to the weight of problems or tasks. In the video's context, it is linked to the imbalance between passive and active challenges in one's life. The script uses the feeling of being overwhelmed as a starting point to discuss the psychological effects of life's challenges and how taking on more active challenges can alleviate this feeling.

💡Passive Challenges

Passive challenges are situations or problems that occur without one's consent or choice. They are often unexpected and can cause stress or the feeling of being overwhelmed. The script mentions 'passive challenges' as events that happen to individuals, such as insurance company denials, which require effort to resolve but are not initiated by the individual.

💡Active Challenges

Active challenges are tasks or goals that individuals choose to pursue. They are voluntary and can provide a sense of control and accomplishment. The video emphasizes that taking on more active challenges can counteract the feeling of being overwhelmed by passive challenges, as it allows individuals to feel more in control of their lives, as illustrated by the decision to start streaming or writing a book.

💡Control

Control, in the context of the video, is the sense of managing or directing one's circumstances. It is closely tied to the concept of active challenges, as taking on such challenges can make individuals feel more in control of their lives. The script suggests that when passive challenges outweigh active ones, individuals may feel overwhelmed and out of control.

💡Anxiety

Anxiety is described in the script as a state of unease or worry, often stemming from unused mental energy. It is linked to the concept of active challenges, where adopting such challenges helps expend energy that might otherwise manifest as anxiety. The script suggests that by engaging in active challenges, one can reduce anxiety by converting excess mental energy into productive action.

💡Energy Expenditure

Energy expenditure in the video refers to the psychological energy used when engaging in active challenges. It is posited that as individuals take on more active challenges, they expend more energy, which can help reduce feelings of anxiety and being overwhelmed. The script uses the example of starting a Twitch stream to illustrate how engaging in an active challenge can lead to energy expenditure.

💡Innate Instinct

The innate instinct mentioned in the script is the natural tendency to do less when feeling overwhelmed. However, the video suggests that the opposite approach—taking on more active challenges—can be more effective in reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed. This concept challenges the typical reaction to stress and promotes a proactive stance.

💡Destiny

Destiny, as discussed in the video, relates to the sense of having a future that is predetermined and beyond one's control. Feeling overwhelmed is associated with a lack of control over one's destiny. By taking on active challenges, individuals can regain a sense of control over their lives and their future.

💡Accomplishment

Accomplishment is the feeling of achieving a goal or completing a task successfully. In the script, it is presented as a positive outcome of engaging in active challenges, which can help counteract the negative feelings associated with passive challenges and being overwhelmed. The script implies that a sense of accomplishment can lead to improved self-esteem and reduced anxiety.

💡Upward Spiral

The term 'upward spiral' is used to describe a positive feedback loop where taking on active challenges leads to a sense of control, accomplishment, and reduced feelings of being overwhelmed. This, in turn, can motivate individuals to take on even more challenges, creating a cycle of positive change. The script contrasts this with the concept of a downward spiral, which can occur when passive challenges dominate one's life.

Highlights

The instinct when feeling overwhelmed is to do less, but the secret solution is to do more and take on more active challenges.

There are two kinds of challenges in life: passive challenges that happen to us and active challenges that we choose to undertake.

Passive challenges are overwhelming because they are out of our control, whereas active challenges are chosen and can be invigorating.

Feeling overwhelmed is a disconnect between the number of passive and active challenges in one's life.

To reduce feeling overwhelmed, one can either reduce passive challenges or increase active challenges.

People who feel overwhelmed often feel like they are not in control of their destiny.

Adding active challenges to one's life can help regain a sense of control and reduce feelings of being overwhelmed.

The psychological effect of taking on active challenges is a sense of accomplishment and control.

Anxiety is described as unused energy, and taking on active challenges helps expend this energy.

Active challenges are a way to expend energy, reducing the energy available for anxiety.

As active challenges increase, the mind has less energy for anxiety, leading to less feeling of being overwhelmed.

Control over one's life is directly related to the number of active challenges taken on.

The more active challenges one takes on, the less overwhelmed they will feel.

The concept of an upward spiral is introduced, where taking care of small tasks can lead to taking care of more significant ones.

The example of Lord Ghoulia cleaning his room is used to illustrate the positive impact of taking on an active challenge.

Expending energy on a task, such as cleaning a room, can make one feel less overwhelmed and more in control.

The transcript discusses the importance of taking action to combat feelings of being overwhelmed and lack of control.