Have you ever found yourself overthinking a simple situation, only to end up creating a problem that didn’t even exist in the first place? Let me tell you a little story.

A man gets a flat tire, on a country road. He sees a house in the distance. He walks up to the house, and along the way, he starts thinking, ‘What if they don’t have a jack? What if they have a jack, but they want to charge me for it? And if they do, how much would they charge? A hundred dollars, two hundred, a thousand?’ So when the man gets to the house, rings the bell, and they answer the door, he tells them, ‘You know what? Keep your goddamn jack.’.

Donna Paulsen from Suits

Sound ridiculous? That man is all of us at some point in our lives.

Personal Life: The Art of Inventing Drama

Let’s start with friends and family because if we’re honest, they’re the ones who get hit hardest by our overthinking. Like the time my friend canceled on dinner, and I was convinced they were mad at me. “What did I do wrong?” I thought. “Maybe it was that thing I said last week about pineapple on pizza.” Turns out, they just had a stomach bug.

Or take family gatherings—someone doesn’t reply to your text about bringing dessert, and you’ve already drafted an internal monologue about how they’ve forgotten your existence. Spoiler alert: their phone was on silent.

Most of the time, we build castles in the air and then get mad when they don’t match reality.

Professional Life: From Flat Tires to Flat Meetings

Now, let’s take this habit to the workplace. A colleague doesn’t respond to an email. Your brain instantly leaps to conclusions: They think my idea is stupid. They’re ignoring me on purpose. They’re plotting my professional downfall! Meanwhile, they’re probably just drowning in their inbox or on vacation.

Team meetings are another breeding ground for overthinking. A quick brainstorming session can spiral into, “What if my suggestion sounds dumb? What if no one likes it? What if they laugh?” News flash: they won’t. And even if they don’t love your idea, it’s not the end of the world.

My Take: Keep Your Cool, Not Your Jack

Overthinking is like arguing with a house that hasn’t even opened its door. We waste energy fighting battles we invented ourselves, only to end up frustrated. Whether it’s with friends, family, or colleagues, clarity always wins over conjecture.

So the next time you catch yourself spiraling into a rabbit hole of “what ifs,” stop. Take a deep breath and knock on the door first. You might just find that the person on the other side is happy to lend you their jack—for free.

What’s your “Keep your jack” moment? Let me know in the comments!