Catastrophizing the Simple
In today's episode, I want to dive deep into something I find myself talking about with clients almost every week—catastrophizing. As leaders, we often face overwhelming challenges, stress, and uncertainty. And when we’re feeling overwhelmed, our instinct is to catastrophize even the smallest issues. It's natural. It feels like we’re doing everything we can to gain control, but often, we end up turning a molehill into a mountain.
I want to talk about this today because it's one of the most common traps I see high-achieving leaders fall into. It’s not just about stress; it’s about how we react to that stress. The stories we tell ourselves. And how often we spiral out of control in our heads, when the reality is far less dramatic than we think.
Turning Small Issues Into Major Problems
I often see leaders take something small, unintentional, or completely out of context, and blow it up. Here’s what I mean. Let's say someone misses a meeting. Immediately, you might think, That's it. They must not respect me. They probably hate me now. This is the end of our relationship.
Or how about receiving a vague email from your boss? The type that gives just enough information to feel unsettling. The immediate reaction is, That’s it. I’m getting fired. This is the end of my career. I knew it was all going to fall apart sooner or later.
What about receiving tough feedback? Maybe someone gives you constructive criticism, something they truly believe will help you grow. But instead of hearing it for what it is, you immediately think, That’s right. I’m not cut out for this. I knew I was a fake. I’m an imposter.
Does this sound familiar? It’s easy to get caught in these spirals of negative thoughts. But what I want you to think about is this: How often do we react to fear, rather than responding to the truth? How often do we create worst-case scenarios in our heads, only to realize that 90+% of the time, those scenarios don’t happen?
Reacting to Fear vs. Responding to Truth
Let’s be real for a moment. We all react to fear at times. But my question is: How often do we let that reaction dictate our behavior? How often do we find ourselves chasing the chaos, trying to prepare for every worst-case scenario, rather than just responding to what’s true right now?
If you’ve ever catastrophized a situation, think about the last time you did. Maybe it was something small that snowballed into a huge mental hurdle. Maybe you made it bigger in your head than it really was. And by doing so, you burned through emotional fuel on imaginary fires. We all do it, and it’s exhausting.
What if we could step back in those moments? What if we could pause for just a second and say, Wait, what do I actually know to be true right now? What if we didn’t allow ourselves to jump straight into worst-case thinking and instead, we stayed grounded in what’s real?
The Power of Clarity Over Chaos
I think a lot of us mistakenly believe that thinking about every potential negative outcome will help us prepare. But in reality, it’s just adding more chaos into our lives. We’re not planning for what we actually want. Instead, we’re planning for what we fear might happen. And that’s not the same thing.
What happens when we shift from chaos to clarity? What happens when we start focusing on what we truly want instead of obsessing over what could go wrong? You might be surprised to learn that planning for the worst case scenario can often feel more like self-sabotage than it does preparation.
Letting Go of Control
I also want to touch on something I’ve noticed in my own life—this tendency to sabotage success just to maintain control. For years, I’ve moved when things got comfortable. I’d start something new, try something different, just to avoid staying in the same place. But here’s the thing: Just because something could go wrong doesn’t mean that it will. And we’re not doing ourselves any favors by expecting the worst.
Instead, we need to ask ourselves: What do I actually know to be true right now? Not in six months, not in a year, but in this moment. That’s the only place where we can begin to respond with intention.
The Drama of Self-Sabotage
The drama is easier than the honesty. Sometimes, it’s simpler to focus on chaos and the potential for failure than it is to just accept that things are okay in the present. And trust me, I know this because I’ve lived it. As leaders, we want to control everything. But what if letting go of control was the answer?
What if the key to truly growing your business, your leadership, and your personal life was simply to stop creating problems that don’t exist? What if you could stop reacting to fear and start responding to what’s real and true?
Practical Steps to Move Forward
Next time you feel yourself spiraling, I want you to ask yourself, What do I actually know to be true today? Not tomorrow, not six months from now. What’s real right now?
Because we often waste so much energy on hypothetical scenarios that we miss out on the present. We miss out on what’s actually happening today. And that’s where our true power lies.
If you’re ready to start shifting from chaos to clarity, I encourage you to join me for my upcoming leadership training. We’ll dive deeper into how to stay grounded in what’s true and how to stop letting fear and self-doubt dictate your leadership. You can sign up at rockygarza.com/confidence.
Resources Mentioned:
Join my upcoming free LIVE Leadership Workshop: https://rockygarza.com/confidence
