Cognitive Misfiring
That’s what I call it now.
People around me have often said I’m an overthinker. And for a long time, I agreed… until I realised something:
What I do is actually worse than overthinking.
I spend time thinking about things that don’t deserve my attention.
Things that don’t matter—or don’t matter anymore.
Things that aren’t aligned with anything I’m working on or toward.
That’s not overthinking. That’s misdirected thinking.
So I’ve given it a name: Cognitive Misfiring
—when your thinking moves away from what’s meaningful or useful, without you noticing.
I’ve been thinking about why this happens.
Maybe it’s comfort disguised as effort. Familiar mental loops feel safe.
Or maybe it’s avoidance—because meaningful thinking is often harder.
The brain would rather solve low-stakes problems than face high-stakes clarity.
Either way, the result is the same:
Plenty of thinking… not much progress.
So instead of trying to stop thinking altogether…
I’ve started to change how I approach it.
Not by trying to think less—but by filtering better.
(Sometimes. Let’s be honest, this is still a work in progress.)
A few simple checks I use:
- Is this useful?
- Can I influence this?
- Does this move anything forward?
If the answer is no, I try to reset.
Move away from the misfire.
Redirect my attention to something that actually matters.
Now, to be fair—
Not all “unproductive” thinking is bad.
Daydreaming, reflecting, even a bit of nostalgia… it all has its place.
As long as it’s uplifting, not draining.
I just try not to live there full-time.
(My mom definitely wouldn’t approve.)
So what’s the point of all this?
“Overthinking” is a label we use too easily.
But the real question is:
Are we thinking about what matters—
or is it just Cognitive Misfiring?
This reflection might give you something to think about.
Or not.
Either way, thanks for taking the time to read this far.
And if you’ve got thoughts, ideas, or something you’d like me to reflect on next—drop me a line.
Where do you find yourself in this?
Do you ever catch your mind working hard… on the wrong things?
Do you have a way of noticing—and correcting—the misfire?
That’s an interesting thought. I often find myself thinking about events in the past that didn’t turn out well, and re-imagining them turning out better – or in fact replaying the failure… I also sometimes feel guilty about something I did 30 years ago to someone, intentionally or not, but actually there’s nothing I can do about it now, and feeling guilty is a seriously wasted emotional drain!
Yes, Dave, I think that’s exactly what many of us pick up on — how easily the mind can drift into old regrets, replay failures, or keep revisiting things that no longer serve us or the people around us. I catch myself doing it too sometimes, especially getting stuck in loops that end up being emotionally draining and a waste of energy.
What I find helpful about the idea of “cognitive misfiring” is the awareness it brings. When certain thoughts keep resurfacing — even something from 30 years ago — it’s a chance to pause and check in with myself. Is there actually something meaningful to process or learn from here, or is my brain just replaying an old pattern? That awareness helps me make adjustments and gently guide my thinking in a healthier direction.