The Advantage of Thinking Differently
I’ve often been told I’m an overthinker, and for a long time I saw that as a weakness. It felt like I was spending too much time in my own head, turning things over more than necessary. But over time, I’ve realised it’s not overthinking-it’s a habit of asking better questions.
I naturally think about how something could be done differently, or what I would do if a situation changed. Instead of taking things at face value, I tend to look just beneath them. Where is this heading? What might shift? And if it does, how would I respond? That way of thinking doesn’t create hesitation-it creates options.
Running has reinforced this more than anything. You can have a plan, but no run ever plays out exactly as expected. Your body gives constant feedback, and if you ignore it, small issues become bigger ones. I’ve learned to treat the plan as a guide, not a rule-staying aware, checking in, and adjusting early when something doesn’t feel right.
I saw this clearly when I arrived in Munich and hit a transport strike. It would have been easy to get frustrated, but instead I paused and thought it through.
First, I accepted I couldn’t change the situation. From there, it became about options:
Taxi or Uber if needed
Walk the 6km back
Adjust what I wore and run it
Use Lime bikes, which were everywhere
That small pause changed everything. Instead of reacting, I was choosing.
Over time, I’ve realised this is where the advantage sits. Giving yourself a moment to step back and ask:
Can I change this? If not, what’s the plan?
What could happen next, and how would I respond?
If nothing changes, is there a better way anyway?
If everyone else does the same thing, how do I stay ahead?
It’s not about predicting everything perfectly. It’s about creating space between what happens and how you respond. When you’ve already thought through a few paths, change doesn’t feel disruptive-it just becomes something you adjust to.
There’s still a balance, because thinking only matters if it leads to action. But when you get that right, what once felt like overthinking starts to feel more like awareness.
And in a world where things rarely go to plan, that awareness becomes a real advantage.
Michael